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to leapfrog ahead

to leapfrog ahead

7.1
To suddenly move ahead of competitors by making a big improvement
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈliːpfrɔɡ əˈhɛd/
translation icon : adelantar

Examples

  • Now it's planning to leapfrog ahead with the Moon mission by producing the Apollo command module.

    Blog text (14)
  • But I'm gonna leapfrog ahead and meet you guys at Record Breaker.

  • To gain a competitive edge, the startup managed to leapfrog ahead of established companies by introducing groundbreaking technology.

  • The new electric vehicle model has leapfrogged ahead of traditional cars in efficiency and performance, attracting a lot of attention from consumers.

  • By investing in innovative practices, the small firm was able to leapfrog ahead of its larger competitors in the market.

Synonyms

to jump
vsto leapfrog ahead
144 2.1

To rise suddenly by a large amount

is aimed at overtaking others, not just a sudden rise
to get ahead
vsto leapfrog ahead
83 3.4

Do better than others, for example at work or school

is a sudden large surpassing rather than a small advantage
to pull ahead
vsto leapfrog ahead
9 3.4

To move into a leading position in a race or competition

is a larger sudden advance than merely taking the lead
to get the jump
vsto leapfrog ahead
  • Informal
9 6.8

To act before others to get an advantage

is a major sudden advance, not just early action advantage
to outstrip
vsto leapfrog ahead
7 6.8

To become faster, better, or larger than another

is a sudden significant advance not just steady surpassing
to outrace
vsto leapfrog ahead
1 5.9

To get ahead of others in progress or achievement

is a sudden big jump that overtakes previous leaders
to leapfrog competitor
vsto leapfrog ahead
7.3

To pass other companies quickly by using new technology

is a sudden significant advance that surpasses others
to leave competitors in the dust
vsto leapfrog ahead
  • Informal
4.5

Do much better than other companies or teams

is a sudden significant advance rather than gradual outperformance

How Far

to eclipse
31 6.0
to leapfrog ahead
7.1
to beat
1.4
to overtake
45 3.3

Surface Forms

leapfrog ahead infinitive
leapfrogged ahead past participle
leapfrogging ahead present participle
leapfrogs ahead third person singular

Morphology

leapfrog + ahead

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'leapfrog' (to make rapid progress or overtake by skipping stages) with 'ahead' (in a leading position); together they clearly indicate overtaking competitors to take the lead. This compositional pattern is literal and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Leapfrog ahead comes from the children's game leapfrog, where one player jumps over another's back to move ahead. So to leapfrog ahead means to 'overtake' others quickly or make a sudden big gain.