as in leader
one that takes the lead or sets an example
the state has a long history of being an early and reliable bellwether in presidential elections
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Recent Examples of bellwether
The social media addiction case is considered a bellwether that could shape the fate of thousands of other pending lawsuits, transforming the legal landscape for some of the world’s most powerful companies.
—
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.
—Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Offensive expectations were low, but both players have seen their defensive bellwethers head in the wrong direction.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
The case was the first bellwether trial in the federal multidistrict litigation involving thousands of other cases and spans several states.
—Miguel Torres, Oklahoman, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.
—Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Offensive expectations were low, but both players have seen their defensive bellwethers head in the wrong direction.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
The case was the first bellwether trial in the federal multidistrict litigation involving thousands of other cases and spans several states.
—Miguel Torres, Oklahoman, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellwether
Noun
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Meanwhile, senior leaders at Arizona State University were quietly hosting 30 leaders from Korean technical colleges to discuss how the United States might learn from their success in developing an AI-ready workforce.—
David Ignatius,
Washington Post,
11 Feb. 2026
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But almost immediately after, scrappy rivals like Microsoft and Apple came along to chip away at IBM’s market leader status.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ivy Queen Reggaeton icon and pioneer Ivy Queen has performed with Bad Bunny on multiple occasions, with the rapper crediting the Queen of Reggaeton as a major inspiration.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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Along with coaches George Halas, Clark Shaughnessy, and Ralph Jones, Luckman was a pioneer in the T Formation motion, with three running backs lined up behind the quarterback and a man shifting laterally and behind the line of scrimmage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellwether. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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