lead
Usage
What are other ways to say lead?
To lead is to bring onward in a course, guiding by contact or by going in advance; hence, figuratively, to influence or induce to some course of conduct: to lead a procession; to lead astray. Guide implies continuous presence or agency in showing or indicating a course: to guide a traveler. To conduct is to precede or escort them to a place, sometimes with a degree of ceremony: to conduct a guest to his room. To direct is to give information for guidance, or instructions or orders for a course of procedure: to direct someone to the station.
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.
See Examples For:
"It did cause a lot of stress in the lead up to the wedding," she remembers.
From BBC β Sep. 16, 2026
Do you have any regrets about letting former keyboardist Paul Carrack sing lead on 1981’s “Tempted,” which turned out to be one of the band’s biggest hits?
From Los Angeles Times β Sep. 16, 2026
More broadly, the findings show how a discovery that began as an abstract mathematical puzzle can lead to unexpected physical effects.
From Science Daily β Sep. 15, 2026
Employers will increasingly seek these critical thinkers, and our educational institutions would do well to prepare students not simply to compete with AI but to develop the judgment and character to lead it.
From The Wall Street Journal β Sep. 15, 2026
Up until then everything that had happened had made my old heart as heavy as lead, but when the little mare gave me that push it just hauled off and melted.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Giorgio Armani's niece, Silvana Armani, remains as head of women's design at the Armani Group, with the designer's longtime companion, designer Leo Dell'Orco, leading men's.
From Barron's β Sep. 16, 2026
He posted on LinkedIn that he was “very excited to announce that I am working with Damen Shipyards Group, one of the world’s leading shipbuilders.”
From Salon β Sep. 16, 2026
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, told reporters Tuesday that the company supported a provision in a bipartisan bill that would embed outside evaluators at leading AI developers to ensure they are safe.
From The Wall Street Journal β Sep. 15, 2026
The episode received a major promotional push in the weeks leading up to the premiere, which featured an exclusive interview with an Air Force officer who was shot down over Iraq.
From Los Angeles Times β Sep. 15, 2026
I turn the corner into the tiled hallway leading to the kitchen and the bathroom.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate OβShaughnessy
Or Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches last season, 11 from 10 yards or closer, including four from the one-yard line.
From Los Angeles Times β Sep. 16, 2026
The release is part of a wider effort led by the National Trust, River Wey Trust and South East Rivers Trust to reintroduce the locally extinct species back to the River Wey.
From BBC β Sep. 16, 2026
Citi’s global equity strategy team led by David Groman plotted the course of 10-year yields around first Fed hikes.
From MarketWatch β Sep. 16, 2026
But to get there, the two-time company founder is looking back more than 50 years to the space agency’s days of quick decision-making and innovation that led to the moon landings.
From The Wall Street Journal β Sep. 16, 2026
All those evil omens had led to this.
From "The Teacherβs Funeral" by Richard Peck
Vocabulary lists containing lead
Black and Gray
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com β one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Journalism
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more β and it's all completely free to use!
Theater - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com β we'll help you make the most of your study time!
