leading man

noun

: an actor who plays the leading male role

Examples of leading man 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.
It was announced that Jonas had been cast as the leading man in the Broadway revival opposite costar Adrienne Warren in the summer of 2024. Michael Nied, People.com, 16 May 2025 Though never a conventional leading man, Baker was valued in the industry for his consistency and screen presence. Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 Audiences know that Francis is, every inch, a leading man. Ariel Fisher, New York Times, 14 May 2025 Other leading men slated for duets include Bob Dylan, Tim McGraw and James Taylor. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading man

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading man was in 1827

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Cite this Entry

“Leading man.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20man. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

leading man

noun
: an actor who plays the leading male role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading man

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