take the lead

phrase

1
: to take a position that is ahead of others : go first
You take the lead and we'll follow right behind you.
2
: to take the winning position in a race or competition
Her car has taken the lead.
Our team took the lead in the eighth inning.
—often used figuratively
Their company has taken the lead in developing this new technology.

Examples of take the lead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Facing a fourth-and-2 and tied 10-10 early in the fourth quarter Saturday against Washington State, Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson could have easily sent out the field-goal unit for a chip shot to take the lead. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026 The Giants had a chance to take the lead after that but Dominic Zvada’s 44-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 And there’s the ongoing lawsuit from the UCLA Voting Rights Project and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in a Washington courtroom — a case that could take the lead in protecting the midterms. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Los Angeles needed a last-minute touchdown to take the lead over a team that entered the red zone five times and failed to score a single touchdown. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for take the lead

Rhymes for take the lead

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Browse Nearby Words

take the law into one's own hands
take the lead
take the liberty of
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Cite this Entry

“Take the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20lead. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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