ringleader

R1I1N1G2L1E1A1D2E1R1
/ˈɹɪŋˌliːdəɹ/

noun

A leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group.

“The police arrested the ringleaders of the smuggling operation.”

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Meanings

nounringleader (plural ringleaders)

plural ringleaders

  1. A leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group.

    Once, on a confident whim, I approached the group of popular girls in an attempt to broaden my circle. Their ringleader took one glance at my new Aeropostale T-shirt and whispered to her clones, “Yeah, Aero's definitely out now.”

    2017, Allyson Kennedy, Can't Beat the Heart of a Carolina Girl
  2. A person who starts and leads a disturbance (such as a riot), a conspiracy, or a criminal gang.

    The police arrested the ringleaders of the smuggling operation.

    2 more examples

    A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent, / Under the countenance and confederacy / Of Lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, / The ringleader and head of all this rout, / Have practis'd dangerously against your state...

    1590, William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part 2

    The ringleaders of the gang were eventually hanged at Tyburn.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 203

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
principal

Origin

From ring + leader.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Basque taldeburu, buruzagi
  • taldeburuleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • buruzagileader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • gidarileader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
Bulgarian главата́р, та́ртор
  • главата́р (glavatár)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • та́ртор (tártor)person who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Dutch raddraaier
  • raddraaierperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Finnish ryhmänjohtaja, johtaja
  • ryhmänjohtajaleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • johtajaleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • johtajaperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • päätekijäperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
French meneur, chef
  • meneurleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • chefleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • leaderleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • meneurperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • chefperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • leaderperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
German Anführer, Anführerin
  • Anführerleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • Anführerinleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • Rädelsführerperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • Rädelsführerinperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Hungarian vezér, vezető
  • vezérleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • vezetőleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • bandavezérperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • főkolomposperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Japanese 首謀者
  • 首謀者 (shubōsha)person who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Latin concitor
  • concitorperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Polish prowodyr, prowodyrka
  • prowodyrleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • prowodyrkaleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • wodzirejleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • wodzirejkaleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • hersztperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • prowodyrperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • prowodyrkaperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • wodzirejperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • wodzirejkaperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Russian вожа́к, глава́рь
  • вожа́к (vožák)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • глава́рь (glavárʹ)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • верхово́д (verxovód)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • зачи́нщик (začínščik)person who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
  • зачи́нщица (začínščica)person who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Spanish cabecilla
  • cabecillaleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
Swedish anstiftare
  • anstiftareperson who starts and leads a disturbance, a conspiracy, or a criminal gang
Tagalog malahakan
  • malahakanleader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
Ukrainian ватажо́к, вожа́к
  • ватажо́к (vatažók)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • вожа́к (vožák)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • поводи́р (povodýr)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • проводи́р (provodýr)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • вожа́й (vožáj)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • повода́р (povodár)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • провода́р (provodár)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • верхово́д (verxovód)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • верхово́да (verxovóda)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • вата́г (vatáh)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • ватажко́ (vatažkó)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
  • приві́дець (pryvídecʹ)leader of a group of people, especially an unofficial group
Cite this entry
APA

ringleader. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringleader

MLA

“ringleader.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringleader. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ringleader,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringleader.

Source: ringleader on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.