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bellwether

bellwether

13 8.4
A person or thing that shows future trends
  • noun
  • /ˈbɛlˌwɛðər/
translation icon : barómetro
  • Others said it would be a bellwether and would enable observers to predict the outcome of those elections.
  • serve as a bellwether

I feel like there was a bellwether election a few weeks ago too on this.

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Examples

  • I feel like there was a bellwether election a few weeks ago too on this.

  • My feeling is that Denmark is a bellwether state in many ways.

    Blog text (3)
  • And so I wrote the book also almost as a bellwether for other industries to look at.

  • Thus, California can be viewed as a bellwether state.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Another indicator that has always been a bellwether to better home sales is home improvement stores' performance.

    Blog text (29)
  • These two precincts are the bellwether for the Fifth.

  • Corktown could be considered a bellwether for the future of Detroit.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The second is that Rockdale County is a bellwether for the future of every Republican in Georgia.

    Blog text (27)
  • The scope and importance of the conference turn it into a bellwether of trends, and for some years now, digital humanities have been all the rage.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Wells Fargo is often viewed as a bellwether for the U.S. housing market's health.

Synonyms

herald
vsbellwether
110 6.1

A person or thing that announces the coming of something important

fulfills a leadership and trendsetting role instead of announcing only
harbinger
vsbellwether
22 8.7

A sign that something will happen soon, like dark clouds before a storm

acts as a leader and broader trend indicator rather than mere signal
standard-bearer
vsbellwether
11 7.4

A leading person who represents a movement's ideas and goals

serves more as an indicator of future trends than only representing ideals
forerunner
vsbellwether
11 6.2

A person or thing that comes before something to prepare people

assumes a leading role and points to future trends instead
mover and shaker
vsbellwether
  • Literature
9 6.1

A powerful and energetic person who makes important things happen

is more about showing trends and future direction than personal force
pacemaker
vsbellwether
1 5.5

A person or group that sets a new standard for others

focuses more on indicating future trends than on being the very first
bell cow
vsbellwether
  • Jargon
9.9

A person or thing that leads a group and shows the best example

is more about indicating upcoming trends than simply being prominent

Antonyms

295 1.6

A person who supports a leader and accepts their direction

Compounds

bellwether state
  • Literature
1 7.8

A state in the United States whose election results often show national voting trends

How Influential

bellwether
13 8.4
trailblazer
12 6.8
leader
1.0

Surface Forms

bellwether singular
bellwethers plural

Morphology

bellwether = bell + wether (opaque) = bell + wether

Although the word is historically a compound of 'bell' and 'wether', the modern sense 'trend indicator or leader' is a figurative extension that is not derivable by standard compounding rules for most learners.

Etymology

The word bellwether comes from a real farming habit: farmers put a bell on a leading sheep called a wether, which means 'male sheep'. So, a bellwether is someone or something that leads or shows future trends.