vanguard

noun

ˈvan-ˌgärd How to pronounce vanguard (audio)
Definition of vanguardnext
1
as in pioneer
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts a style of jazz that the vanguard quickly recognized as new and exciting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forefront
the leading or most important part of a movement talk radio is often regarded as being in the vanguard of the conservative movement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of vanguard Now entering its third year, Athlos is among a new vanguard of professional track and field events aimed at modernizing the sport for the streaming era and growing its audience in non-Olympic years. — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 20 May 2026 Most notably, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab or CSAIL, directed capably by my colleague Daniela Rus, is in there, where intrepid teams work on such vanguard projects as liquid AI models. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 Columbia waded into the rock vanguard after Davis attended the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 at the behest of its organizer Lou Adler, whose Ode Records was distributed by CBS. — Chris Morris, Variety, 22 June 2026 Hekt’s debut album heralds a union between the left-field pop scene of his native Copenhagen and the influential Glasgow label Numbers, whose formidable run of 2010s releases—including several landmark SOPHIE singles—has left a neon imprint on the new Danish vanguard. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for vanguard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanguard
  1. pioneer
  2. forefront
  3. underground
  4. avant-garde
Noun
  • As a kid, Grant was an Eagle scout, and essentially built a historical trail after discovering pioneer grave sites.
    — Sam McDowell July 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • The pioneer of the world’s largest Bitcoin asset treasury attended the president’s first crypto summit at the White House in March 2025.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 1 July 2026
Definition of pioneer
Noun
  • For one official in Los Angeles County, the threat of a fire was at the forefront.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • French oak contributes richness without overwhelming the fruit, allowing citrus, stone fruit and fresh acidity to remain at the forefront.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of forefront
Noun
  • For the past half-decade, evilgiane and his Surf Gang collective have had their hands all over the quirkiest and most effervescent sounds of rap’s underground and mainstream.
    — Oba Awolowo, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
  • Taking the dance sensation out of New York's gay underground and on the road, the singer vogued her way around the world on her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, which kicked off in Japan that April.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of underground
Noun
  • The more voguish looks accessorized the A-list and artist attendees clad in avant-garde garments, adding texture on top.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
  • All of these have a basis in her life, which also included the role of devoted wife and muse to the muralist Diego Rivera, and the part of avant-garde painter creatively mixing Mexican folk art with Surrealism.
    — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of avant-garde

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Cite this Entry

“Vanguard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanguard. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vanguard

Nglish: Translation of vanguard for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vanguard

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