front-runner
noun
front-run·ner
ˈfrənt-ˌrə-nər 
1
: a contestant who runs best when in the lead
2
: a leading contestant in or as if in a rivalry or competition
a political front-runner
Examples of front-runner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most recent polls have shown him with single digits of support, trailing far behind front-runner Andrew Cuomo and the No. 2 candidate Zohran Mamdani.
—
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 June 2025
Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, has emerged as the clear front-runner in opinion surveys released in recent weeks.
—Arkansas Online, 3 June 2025
If the front-runner for the presidential election on Tuesday wins, South Korea is likely to enter a major course correction in its diplomacy to improve ties with North Korea and China.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 1 June 2025
In comparison, Nvidia, a front-runner in the AI industry with over 80% average revenue growth in recent years, trades at a multiple of 50 times cash flow.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
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Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 June 2025
Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, has emerged as the clear front-runner in opinion surveys released in recent weeks.
—Arkansas Online, 3 June 2025
If the front-runner for the presidential election on Tuesday wins, South Korea is likely to enter a major course correction in its diplomacy to improve ties with North Korea and China.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 1 June 2025
In comparison, Nvidia, a front-runner in the AI industry with over 80% average revenue growth in recent years, trades at a multiple of 50 times cash flow.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for front-runner
Cite this Entry
“Front-runner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/front-runner. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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