1
: the forward part of something that moves or seems to move
2
: the foremost edge of an airfoil
3
Examples of leading edge in a Sentence
the leading edge of an airplane's wing
the leading edge of a thunderstorm
Recent Examples on the Web
First contact is when the moon’s leading edge moves into the penumbra.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Second contact is when the leading edge enters the umbra; this is also the start of the partial eclipse, when Earth’s shadow falling on the moon becomes obvious.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Fourth contact is when the leading edge passes out of the umbra and becomes easily visible again, ending totality, and fifth contact is when the entire moon is fully out of the umbra.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Can’t be controlled One crucial difference, however, is that nuclear weapons could have been developed only by a few specialized scientists at the leading edge of their fields.
—Zeynep Tufekci, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leading edge
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Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Second contact is when the leading edge enters the umbra; this is also the start of the partial eclipse, when Earth’s shadow falling on the moon becomes obvious.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Fourth contact is when the leading edge passes out of the umbra and becomes easily visible again, ending totality, and fifth contact is when the entire moon is fully out of the umbra.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
Can’t be controlled One crucial difference, however, is that nuclear weapons could have been developed only by a few specialized scientists at the leading edge of their fields.
—Zeynep Tufekci, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leading edge
Cite this Entry
“Leading edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20edge. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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