An act by which one is led or guided.
"The printer kept jamming because I had set the leading too tight for that thick font."
Vertical space added between lines; line spacing.
In plain English: Leading is the person who guides a group or takes charge of what happens next.
"The leading edge of the kite caught the wind and pulled it high into the sky."
Usage: Use "leading" only when referring to the vertical space between lines of text in typesetting or printing. Do not use this term for guiding someone or directing attention, as those contexts require different words like "guidance" or "leadership."
present participle of lead
"The team is leading by ten points with only five minutes remaining in the game."
In plain English: To lead means to guide someone or something in a specific direction.
"The teacher led the class to the front of the room."
Usage: Use "leading" to describe the action of being at the front or guiding someone toward a destination. It functions as the present participle of the verb "lead," often appearing in continuous tenses like "She is leading the team."
greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement
"our greatest statesmen"
"the country's leading poet"
"a preeminent archeologist"
going or proceeding or going in advance; showing the way
"we rode in the leading car"
"the leading edge of technology"
having the leading position or higher score in a contest
"he is ahead by a pawn"
"the leading team in the pennant race"
Providing guidance or direction.
"The veteran coach led the team through a complex play by signaling each player's move before they ran onto the field."
In plain English: Leading means being at the front of a group or process.
"The leading singer was late for the show."
Usage: Use "leading" to describe something that sets the pace, performs best, or holds the highest rank in a specific area, such as a leading company or a leading question. Do not use it simply to mean "first in line," which is better expressed by "foremost" or "front."
The word "leading" comes from Middle English and Old English roots that originally meant the present participle of the verb to lead. It entered modern usage as a standard form describing someone or something in the act of guiding others forward.