leading
C1Formal, Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Having a position at the front, in charge, or most important.
Guiding or directing others; holding first place; indicating the most likely or significant factor; (verb) guiding or showing the way; being in front.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Leading" implies pre-eminence, authority, and influence. As an adjective, it denotes superior status. As a verb, it focuses on the action of guidance and direction.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Minor differences exist in collocational preferences (e.g., Brits may use "leading question" more in legal contexts).
Connotations
Equally positive for denoting excellence; equally negative when implying undue influence (e.g., a leading question).
Frequency
Equally common and high-frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[leading + noun] (adj.)[be leading + prep. phrase] (v.)[leading + to + result] (v.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “leading light (an influential person)”
- “leading question (a question prompting a desired answer)”
- “leading edge (the forefront of development)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to a top company or market position (e.g., 'the leading provider of software').
Academic
Denoting a foremost scholar, theory, or journal in a field.
Everyday
Describing the most popular or likely thing (e.g., 'the leading candidate for the job').
Technical
In computing/design, refers to 'leading' (pronounced /ˈlɛdɪŋ/) as spacing between lines of text, from physical strips of lead in typesetting.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She is leading the expedition through the Highlands.
- His actions could be leading us into a terrible row.
American English
- She is leading the investigation into the fraud case.
- This policy is leading to greater inequality.
adverb
British English
- This point is leading relevant to the discussion. (Rare/archaic)
American English
- (Very rare as adverb; typically not used)
adjective
British English
- He is a leading authority on medieval history.
- The leading cause of delays is poor weather.
American English
- She played a leading role in the negotiations.
- It's one of the leading causes of death nationwide.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is leading the small group to the park.
- The leading runner is very fast.
- He has a leading part in the school play.
- Smoking is a leading cause of health problems.
- The company is a leading innovator in renewable technology.
- Her research is leading to new discoveries in medicine.
- The barrister was reprimanded for asking a blatantly leading question.
- The nation's leading economists are divided on the issue of quantitative easing.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LEADER in a RACE – they are at the front, they are LEADING. Both words start with 'lead'.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS BEING AT THE FRONT / GUIDANCE IS SHOWING A PATH.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'лидирующий' which is less common in formal contexts; 'ведущий' is the closest equivalent for the adjective.
- The verb 'leading to' (приводящий к) is often mistranslated as просто 'к' without the causative sense.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as /ˈlɛdɪŋ/ (like the metal lead) when meaning guiding/first. Correct is /ˈliːdɪŋ/.
- Using 'most leading' (redundant superlative). 'The leading' already implies top position.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'leading' is pronounced /ˈlɛdɪŋ/?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. While often positive (e.g., leading expert), it can be neutral (leading cause of accidents) or negative in specific contexts (a leading question manipulates the answer).
'Leading' implies a position of superiority among competitors or a dynamic sense of being ahead. 'Main' is more static, meaning simply the largest or most important part (e.g., the main reason vs. the leading theory among several).
When related to guide/first, pronounce it /ˈliːdɪŋ/ (LEE-ding). Only pronounce it /ˈlɛdɪŋ/ (LED-ing) when referring to the typographical term for line spacing.
Yes, but it's specialized. As a noun, it primarily refers to the typographical term for line spacing (pronounced /ˈlɛdɪŋ/). The gerund 'leading' (from the verb) is also a noun form (e.g., 'His leading of the team was impressive').