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 special election will have implications for House Republicans and their slim majority while also serving as a potential bellwether for Democratic voter enthusiasm as the 2026 midterm season ramps up.
—
Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
The failure of either stock to catch a tail wind from positive reports could be a bellwether for the wider chip industry as earnings season rolls on.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Thousands of similar federal lawsuits were also consolidated into a proceeding in a district court in California, and the first federal bellwether trial is scheduled for June.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
Now a high school senior in Oakland County, a longtime political bellwether in Michigan, Koenig described an era of constant conflict and anxiety.
—Joey Cappelletti, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
The failure of either stock to catch a tail wind from positive reports could be a bellwether for the wider chip industry as earnings season rolls on.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Thousands of similar federal lawsuits were also consolidated into a proceeding in a district court in California, and the first federal bellwether trial is scheduled for June.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
Now a high school senior in Oakland County, a longtime political bellwether in Michigan, Koenig described an era of constant conflict and anxiety.
—Joey Cappelletti, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellwether
Noun
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The crowd includes top business leaders, including Apple’s Tim Cook and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Senior defender Peyton Johnson, Elizabeth’s older sister, is Oswego’s other team leader.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Even the pioneers of AI will tell you, Stassun said, in many cases, what AI does very well is rapidly synthesizing, consolidating or repackaging existing information.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Commissioners McSlavkin and Ella Cross both questioned a historical mural in the tunnel, which includes controversial pioneers John Sutter and Peter Burnett, during the meeting.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellwether. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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