as in first
coming before all others in time or order
the leadoff batter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
plans to lead off the news conference with a prepared statement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of leadoff
Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The Dodgers are now up to bat for the first time with Ohtani leading off.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2024
All and Eva will lead off on Friday, November 1, followed by Cheaters amon November 8 and Families Like Ours on November 22.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024
The Dodgers were three outs away from their lead over the Padres being reduced to two games when Ohtani led off the ninth inning with a tying home run.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for leadoff 
Verb
For the seventh straight year, ‘Future Stars Friday’ leads off the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and 14 races over two days.
—Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The Dodgers are now up to bat for the first time with Ohtani leading off.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2024
All and Eva will lead off on Friday, November 1, followed by Cheaters amon November 8 and Families Like Ours on November 22.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024
The Dodgers were three outs away from their lead over the Padres being reduced to two games when Ohtani led off the ninth inning with a tying home run.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for leadoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leadoff
Adjective
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The superstar also traveled with Furnish to the Toronto Film Festival in September, sitting between his husband and Cutler, for the first public screening of the documentary.Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
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So this was for sure like the first instinct to give my life to this kind of adventure.Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Heavy Responsibility of AI Use Institutional investors, regulators, and other stakeholders have begun paying more attention to how companies govern their AI strategies.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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The recent federal corruption investigation that hauled Madigan and several other lawmakers into court did result in some changes, such as giving the inspector general authority to begin investigating complaints without prior approval from the Legislative Ethics Commission.Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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At the same time, as noted with the illustrative examples with those in the housing goods industries, inquiries and initial connections with premium stores often happen through websites or email, which, by our definition, still qualifies as e-commerce.Tom Madsen, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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Marc Joffe, a visiting fellow with the California Policy Center, said that one possibility would be to complete the initial 119-mile section of the track, from Madera to Shafter, then connect it with existing Amtrak service.Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Also, the index was staring directly at its former high point from late 2021, right before the 2022 bear market commenced.Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
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What's next: A 60-day public comment period on the report will commence Thursday.Ivana Saric, Axios, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund, a spokesperson for the social media giant confirmed to CBS News Wednesday night.Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2024
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Clinch really wanted Bruce Springsteen—who helped make Asbury Park famous—to play during the festival’s inaugural year.Charles Moss, SPIN, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Residents have been photographing lights in the sky since reports of drones started circulating in mid-November.George Petras, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
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The team then starts another long, delicate task: preparing the pig kidneys for implantation.Rob Stein, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Disney Destiny, another ship in the Wish style of ships, will mark its maiden voyage on Nov. 20, 2025, sailing to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024
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On the Treasure, which takes its maiden voyage in December, Disney fans will find the first cruise ship bar themed to a Disney ride: the Haunted Mansion.Natasha Chen, CNN, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Top Stories: Only five people know the original Modjeska recipe, and anyone who makes the candy at Muth's Candies in Louisville must learn it by heart.Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 14 Dec. 2024
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During Wicked’s original Broadway run, Kristin Chenoweth’s Glinda ran as a lead at the Tonys alongside Idina Menzel’s Elphaba, who won.Nate Jones, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near leadoff
Cite this Entry
“Leadoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leadoff. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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