leading lady

noun

: an actress who plays the leading female role

Examples of leading lady 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.
Moore went on to take part in television and theater roles in the years to follow, before gaining wider recognition and establishing herself as a leading lady in Hollywood. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025 Someone else Johansson would love to see on SNL this season is her Eleanor the Great leading lady. Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025 Larsen makes a magnetic leading lady. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025 Like Hepburn, who won four Academy Awards over a lifetime of iconic performances, Stone seems poised to keep redefining what a leading lady can be. Clayton Davis, Variety, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading lady

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading lady was in 1860

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Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

leading lady

noun
: an actress who plays the leading female role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading lady

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