Synonyms of vanguard

1. vanguard, van, army unit: usage: the leading units moving at the head of an army
2. avant-garde, vanguard, van, new wave, artistic movement, art movement: usage: any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
3. vanguard, forefront, cutting edge, position, view, perspective: usage: the position of greatest importance or advancement; the leading position in any movement or field; "the Cotswolds were once at the forefront of woollen manufacturing in England"; "the idea of motion was always to the forefront of his mind and central to his philosophy"