leadoff
adjective
led off; leading off; leads off
: begin
also
: to come on or perform first
Examples of leadoff in a Sentence
Verb
plans to lead off the news conference with a prepared statement
Recent Examples on the Web
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
In a desperate attempt to spark a turnaround, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved Betts into the leadoff spot.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Horwitz led off the game with a double and scored on Nick Gonzalez’s single.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
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.
Noun
Back in the leadoff spot, Shohei Ohtani dribbled a ball onto the grass in front of home plate and beat it out for an infield single.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
In a desperate attempt to spark a turnaround, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved Betts into the leadoff spot.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto singled off right-hander Hunter Gaddis to lead off, once again putting runners on the corners with no outs for Alonso.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Horwitz led off the game with a double and scored on Nick Gonzalez’s single.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
Cite this Entry
“Leadoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadoff. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leadoff
noun
lead·off
ˈlēd-ˌȯf 
1
: a beginning action
2
: one that begins something
leadoff
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share