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frontrunner

C1
UK/ˈfrʌntˌrʌnə/US/ˈfrʌntˌrʌnər/

Formal and informal, common in news, politics, sports, and business.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

The person, team, or idea most likely to win a competition or succeed.

A leading candidate in any contest, election, or process of selection; often implies a position of advantage that could change.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Implies a temporary or contested lead, not a guaranteed victory. Often used in contexts of prediction or expectation.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Spelling: UK English commonly uses 'front-runner' with a hyphen. US English uses both 'frontrunner' (solid) and 'front-runner'.

Connotations

Largely identical; can imply vulnerability to being overtaken.

Frequency

High frequency in both varieties, especially in media contexts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
clear frontrunnerearly frontrunnerestablish as the frontrunnerpresumed frontrunner
medium
become the frontrunnerfrontrunner in the racefrontrunner for the nominationmain frontrunner
weak
strong frontrunnerobvious frontrunnersurprise frontrunnerfrontrunner status

Grammar

Valency Patterns

frontrunner for [something]frontrunner in [a competition/field]frontrunner to [do something]

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

odds-on favouritetop contenderleading candidate

Neutral

favouriteleaderfront-runner

Weak

probable winnerexpected winnerone to beat

Vocabulary

Antonyms

underdoglong shotoutsiderdark horsetrailer

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “Out in front (similar concept)”
  • “The one to beat”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

"The company is the frontrunner to secure the major government contract."

Academic

"Her theory quickly became the frontrunner in the debate on cognitive development."

Everyday

"With her high scores, Mia is the frontrunner for class valedictorian."

Technical

In sports analytics, the frontrunner is the athlete with the highest predicted win probability.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • Not standard as a verb. Use 'lead' or 'be out in front'.

American English

  • Not standard as a verb. Use 'lead' or 'be ahead'.

adverb

British English

  • Not applicable.

American English

  • Not applicable.

adjective

British English

  • The front-runner candidate faced intense scrutiny.

American English

  • The frontrunner candidate faced intense scrutiny.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • She is the frontrunner in the school's spelling competition.
B1
  • The blue team is the frontrunner, but the red team is catching up.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a runner at the FRONT of a race. The one in front is the FRONTRUNNER.

Conceptual Metaphor

COMPETITION/SUCCESS IS A RACE.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Avoid literal translation as 'передний бегун'. Use 'фаворит', 'лидер гонки', 'основной претендент'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it for an undisputed, permanent leader (e.g., 'Google is the frontrunner in search' – better: 'dominant leader'). Confusing it with 'pioneer' or 'trendsetter', which are about innovation, not competition.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
After the latest poll, the incumbent mayor is now the to win re-election.
Multiple Choice

In which context is 'frontrunner' LEAST appropriate?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Both 'frontrunner' (one word) and 'front-runner' (hyphenated) are correct. 'Front-runner' is more traditional, especially in British English.

No. A frontrunner is simply the current leader or favourite. The term often implies the race is not over and they could still be overtaken.

They are very similar. 'Frontrunner' often emphasises a lead in an ongoing process (like an election), while 'favourite' can be based more on general opinion or odds before anything starts.

Yes. A technology, a theory, a company, or a film can be a frontrunner if it is leading in a competitive field.