take the lead
idiom
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 figurativelyTheir company has taken the lead in developing this new technology.
Examples of take the lead in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sixty-four percent expect humans and AI to work side by side, with only 21% predicting AI will take the lead role.
—
Brent Dykes, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
The fact that the teams behind Athena and Blue Ghost managed to turn around technological revisions so quickly is an impressive feat, given the increasingly heated competition between the U.S. and China to take the lead in this 21st-century moon race.
—Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Trump suggested that Cabinet and agency leaders would take the lead, but Musk could push harder down the line.
—arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Brett Kulak and Leon Draisaitl scored game-tying goals for the Oilers in the first and second periods before Florida scored two goals in the third to take the lead for good.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the lead
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Brent Dykes, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
The fact that the teams behind Athena and Blue Ghost managed to turn around technological revisions so quickly is an impressive feat, given the increasingly heated competition between the U.S. and China to take the lead in this 21st-century moon race.
—Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Trump suggested that Cabinet and agency leaders would take the lead, but Musk could push harder down the line.
—arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Brett Kulak and Leon Draisaitl scored game-tying goals for the Oilers in the first and second periods before Florida scored two goals in the third to take the lead for good.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the lead
Cite this Entry
“Take the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20lead. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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