leading lady

noun

: an actress who plays the leading female role

Examples of leading lady in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Traditionally, the reality franchise’s leading lady is crowned after the finale of The Bachelor. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Comments Country fans can all agree: Nobody captures the many shades of heartbreak better than their favorite genre's leading ladies. James Mercadante, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Key to the film’s success is leading lady Maberly, a great British actress who seems to be have been hiding in plain sight so far. Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025 Instead, the tone was self-serious, yet still fun, as exemplified by musical numbers celebrating the leading ladies of Wicked, the recently deceased producer Quincy Jones, and the James Bond franchise. David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading lady

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading lady was in 1860

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

leading lady

noun
: an actress who plays the leading female role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading lady

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!