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Glite Dictionary
🏆 Winning position 🥇 Ahead in competition 🚩 First place
in the lead

in the lead

1 3.0
Ahead of other people in a race or competition
  • idiom
: en cabeza
  • So, yes, America has got to stay in the lead.
  • put her in the lead
  • polls show him in the lead
  • still in the lead

Wow, You got to get back in the lead.

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Examples

  • Currently, in the lead of medals per capita is Slovenia.

    Blog text (3)

  • During the marathon, Sarah is in the lead and hopes to finish first.

  • I thought he was in the lead?

    Malibu Rescue (2019)

  • Why is he in the lead?

    Night of the Zoopocalypse (2025)

  • I was in the lead and everything.

    Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998)

  • We're in the lead now.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Marquez in the lead with six, Andrew and David bringing up the rear with five each.

  • A speedy whippet was in the lead, and I was not far behind.

    Blog text (31)

  • And into the 8th lap... it's the Finns still in the lead, with Salminen in first place.

    Unbroken (2014)

  • All right, ladies and gents, we come to the last part of the race, with Joe Flo and Wheely O'Wheels still in the lead.

    Wheely (2018)

Synonyms

lead
vsin the lead
  • Literature
537 3.2

The amount by which someone is ahead in a race or game

expresses the size of advantage, not simply being the top competitor
ahead
vsin the lead
503 1.0

In a leading position with a higher score than others

means being in the top position rather than merely having a higher score
leading
vsin the lead
130 3.4

Ahead of others in a game or race

focuses on being ahead specifically in competitions or races
first place
vsin the lead
89 2.1

The top position in a competition or race

is the phrase used to say someone occupies that top rank
front runner
vsin the lead
75 3.5

A person or team leading a competition

describes the state of occupying the top position rather than naming the person
out front
vsin the lead
26 3.4

Ahead of others in a race, game, or area of work

focuses on holding the top rank rather than merely occupying the forward position
ahead of the pack
vsin the lead
  • Informal
3 4.4

Being more successful than others in the same group

refers specifically to being top in a contest rather than general advancement

Antonyms

behind
675 1.0

In a position with a lower score or later than others

last
276 1.0

The person or thing at the end of a list

How Ahead

dominant
6 4.1
in the lead
1 3.0
ahead
503 1.0
level
77 1.6
behind
675 1.0

Surface Forms

in the lead positive

Morphology

in + the + lead

The meaning 'in an advantageous, first, or leading position' is directly and compositionally derived from 'in' (showing position) + 'the' (definite article) + 'lead' (the position/amount by which one is ahead). This is a transparent, literal locative expression following common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

In the lead comes from the simple image of someone standing at the front of a race or line. The word lead means the front, so the phrase means 'ahead of others' or 'in first place'.