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Definitions

trailblazer

[treyl-bley-zer] / ˈtreɪlˌbleɪ zər /
NOUN
innovator
Synonyms
STRONG
avant-garde creator discoverer groundbreaker pioneer vanguard
WEAK
prequel trendsetter
NOUN
mover and shaker
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP achiever affluential catalyst doer enterprising person entrepreneur generator go-getter heavy hitter heavyweight leader lightning rod man of influence mover palpable presence pathfinder player presence producer spark plug upstart wheeler and dealer whip
NOUN
pioneer
Synonyms
STRONG
colonist colonizer developer explorer founder guide homesteader immigrant innovator leader pathfinder pilgrim scout settler squatter
WEAK
frontier settler
NOUN
point man
Synonyms
WEAK
explorer guide leader pathfinder player playmaker point scout trailbreaker
NOUN
rising star
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP achiever affluential catalyst doer dynamo enterprising person entrepreneur generator go-getter heavy hitter heavyweight leader lightning rod man of influence mover palpable presence pathfinder player presence producer spark plug up-and-comer upstart wheeler and dealer whip
NOUN
trendsetter
Synonyms
WEAK
initiator innovator pacesetter stylist
NOUN
up-and-comer
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP achiever affluential catalyst doer dynamo enterprising person entrepreneur generator girlboss go-getter heavy hitter heavyweight leader lightning rod man of influence mover palpable presence pathfinder player presence producer rising star spark plug upstart wheeler and dealer whip
NOUN
vagabond
Synonyms
STRONGEST
wanderer
STRONG
explorer haji pathfinder pilgrim pioneer rambler rover tourist trekker wayfarer
Antonyms
WEAK
inhabitant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gina Carano is a trailblazer in women’s mixed martial arts.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

OpenAI, the trailblazer for modern AI and the world’s most valuable startup, has committed to $1.4 trillion of infrastructure spending in the coming years.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

He has already helped NFL hopefuls from overseas by establishing the International Player Pathway with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora, but Durde continues to be a trailblazer himself.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

He was a pragmatic justice, not an ideological trailblazer, and he approached cases with an intense focus on the facts and law before him, with a deep respect for legal precedent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

Being the trailblazer for women in this field wasn’t easy.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.