pacesetter — English Dictionary

Noun

1. One who or that which determines the rate of action through leading.

   Related words

   bring up the reartake up the running

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   It’s all been a dreadful embarrassment, but why should anyone outside Germany be concerned? Because Documenta was always a pacesetter — and this year’s edition certainly put its finger on a larger shift, seen too in our museums, our art schools and our magazines, away from aesthetic ambition and intellectual seriousness and toward the easier comforts of togetherness, advocacy and fun.

Noun

1. a leading instance in its field

   Synonyms

   pacemaker

   Broader terms

   exemplarexamplemodelgood example

   Examples

   the new policy will be a pacesetter in community relations

2. a horse used to set the pace in racing

   Synonyms

   pacerpacemaker

   Broader terms

   racehorserace horsebangtail