bellwethers
Those who lead flocks
Bellwethers is the plural of bellwether—originally a castrated ram wearing a bell that leads a flock.
The word now typically means leading indicators or trendsetters: These counties are bellwethers for national elections.
A bellwether stock signals market direction; a bellwether state predicts political outcomes.
The term implies that others follow where the bellwether leads.
Those who initiate popular styles
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- frontrunnersThose leading a competition
- trailblazersThose who open territory
- leadersThose with authority
pacesetters · vanguard · forerunners · pathfinders · influencers · innovators · early adopters · tastemakers
Signs that reveal status
- stocksOwnership stakes or inventory
- indicesOrganized lists for lookup
- benchmarksStandards for measuring performance
- barometersAtmospheric pressure measuring devices
predictors · market leaders · blue chips · signals · trackers · gauges · forecasters · leading indicators
Woolly farm animal
- ramsAdult male sheep
- herdGrazing animals together
- livestockDomesticated farm animals
- bellsStruck metal sound-makers
grazing · pastures · shepherds · collars · ewes · lambs · meadows · alpine
Electorally unpredictable regions
- precinctsBounded administrative areas
- districtsDefined administrative regions
- constituenciesElectoral regions or supporter groups
- battlegroundsPlaces where wars occur
Ohio · voting blocs · Pennsylvania · purple states · New Hampshire · Florida
trendsetters
Those who initiate popular styles
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- frontrunnersThose leading a competition
- trailblazersThose who open territory
leaders · pacesetters · vanguard · forerunners · pathfinders · influencers · innovators · early adopters · tastemakers · harbingers
indicators
Signs that reveal status
- stocksOwnership stakes or inventory
- indicesOrganized lists for lookup
- benchmarksStandards for measuring performance
barometers · predictors · market leaders · blue chips · signals · trackers · gauges · forecasters · leading indicators · market movers
sheep
Woolly farm animal
bells · grazing · pastures · shepherds · collars · ewes · lambs · meadows · alpine · droving
swing states
Electorally unpredictable regions
- precinctsBounded administrative areas
- districtsDefined administrative regions
- constituenciesElectoral regions or supporter groups
battlegrounds · Ohio · voting blocs · Pennsylvania · purple states · New Hampshire · Florida
- trailblazerstrailblazers, pioneers, innovators, groundbreakers, forerunners
bellwethersfollowers
People who support someone
laggards · stragglers · imitators · copycats · also-rans
bellwethersoutliers
Extreme data points
anomalies · aberrations · exceptions · flukes · irregularities
bellwetherslaggards
Those who trail behind
latecomers · holdouts · Johnny-come-latelies · rear guard · tail-enders
- bellwether statesStates that predict winners