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.
Craig Mather was teaching his musical theatre class when he received a call on Thursday from a director to say that their lead had fallen ill.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
A largely unknown second act came as he served as lead independent director for JPMorgan Chase, a post in which he presided over investigations and advised Chief Executive Jamie Dimon through the financial crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
In a head-to-head matchup, Raman would lead Bass 32% to 28%, according to a poll of registered voters conducted last month by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, which was co-sponsored by The Times.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Fashioning your lead actor as a totem to project your thoughts about apathy and loneliness would be a risky move for anyone other than writer-director Amanda Kramer, who’s made a career out of brazen chicness.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
"The least emotional of our party, then. The one who can most resist the cries of others. The one with fewest ties to flesh-and-blood things. That person should lead us."
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
Vocabulary lists containing lead
Black and Gray
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Journalism
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Theater - Introductory
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