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
Boston had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute, but Brown fumbled the ball away, leading to a Champagnie layup that made it 97-93.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Indiana went on a 14-1 run in the third to take the lead from Nebraska (14-2, 3-2) for the first time since the beginning of the game, leading briefly at 51-49.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026
Regional planners often take the lead in getting small towns lined up for brownfields aid.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2026
My research has shown that rank-and-file members are increasingly reliant on party leaders to take the lead on policymaking and problem-solving.
—Sorelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Take the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20lead. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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