front-running

/ˈfrʌnt rʌnɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfrʌnt rʌnɪŋ/ (ame, ipa)

front-running — adjective

1. in the strongest position to come first in a race, election, or other contest wh

1.形容詞C1
釋義

in the strongest position to come first in a race, election, or other contest where several people or things compete.

例句

Joon was the front-running candidate two weeks before the city mayor election.

front-running + candidate; political contest collocation

The front-running horse stumbled at the final turn and lost to a quiet outsider.

front-running + horse; sports / racing context

同義詞
  • leading

    more common and works both before a noun and after 'be'; weaker focus on a head-to-head contest.

  • favorite

    noun-like; emphasizes who is expected to win rather than who is currently ahead.

  • top

    very general; signals high rank but says nothing about an active race.

反義詞
  • trailing

    behind the leaders in a race or contest.

  • underdog

    noun; the contestant expected to lose but not yet eliminated.

文法句型

front-running + noun

用法筆記

Attributive only — placed before a noun (front-running candidate / horse / team). Native speakers do not say 'the candidate is front-running'; use 'leading' or 'in the lead' for predicate position.

常見錯誤

❌The candidate is front-running in the polls.
✅The candidate is leading in the polls.
💡'front-running' modifies the noun directly; it does not follow a linking verb.
❌She has been front-running since March.
✅She has been the front-runner since March.
💡use the noun 'front-runner' for the person; the adjective only describes a noun.