lead the way

verb

To proceed first in a journey, procession, etc., so that others can follow.

Opposite
bring up the rear
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Meanings

verblead the way (third-person singular simple present leads the way, present participle leading the way, simple past and past participle led the way)

present singular third person leads the way · participle present leading the way · participle past led the way · past led the way

  1. literallyTo proceed first in a journey, procession, etc., so that others can follow.
  2. figurativelyTo act as a guide or pioneer.

    The Americans led the way in the postwar years, but UK, Continental European and Japanese companies have followed […]

    2005, Alan Montefiore, David Vines, Integrity in the Public and Private Domains, page 277
    2 more examples

    The native-born and the "naturalised" locomotives have been giving way to the standardised types, of which the L.M.S.R. class "5" 4-6-0 has led the way and has penetrated the furthest.

    1958 July 28, J. P. Wilson, “Scottish Soliloquy”, in Railway Magazine, page 495

    Network Rail's East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) should lead the way for a national digital signalling programme and other major schemes under the new Great British Railways public body.

    2022 January 26, “Network News: RIA lauds East Coast programme as default model for GBR”, in RAIL, number 949, page 11

Synonyms & antonyms

antonym(s) of “to go first”

Opposite
bring up the rear

Translations

Bulgarian вървя отпред
  • вървя отпред (vărvja otpred)to go first
Polish prowadzić, poprowadzić
  • prowadzićto go first
  • poprowadzićto go first
Russian веду́щий
  • веду́щий (vedúščij)to go first
Spanish guiar, ir adelante / primero
  • guiarto go first
  • ir adelante / primeroto go first
  • te sigoto go first
Cite this entry
APA

lead the way. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20the%20way

MLA

“lead the way.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20the%20way. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lead the way,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20the%20way.

Source: lead the way on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.