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.
Under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Tokyo has doubled down on government support for semiconductor technology, an industry Japan used to lead before being superseded by rivals such as Taiwan and South Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Zelinger’s experience at Palantir would later lead him to co-found the startup Closure Intelligence, a digital-analyst platform for law-enforcement agencies.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
It's paramount that astronauts work out: the microgravity environment takes stress off bones and muscles, which can lead to significant loss without precautions.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
Castres took a one-point lead into the break but the hosts went in front for the first time two minutes into the second half when Furbank created space for Kemeny to dive over.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
For the next few days, I follow Teddy’s lead when I babysit, never pushing him to do anything he resists.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
