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When to Use Lead or Led
There is some persistent confusion about lead and led. Or, we should say, there is confusion about the leads and led. Lead is both a noun and a verb, as most people know. There are several unrelated nouns spelled lead: one most commonly refers to a metal (as in, "The paint was made with lead"), and the other most commonly refers to a position of advantage (as in, "Our team was in the lead"). The verb lead is pronounced /LEED/, with a long e; the noun that refers to a position or advantage is also pronounced /LEED/, with a long e; the noun that refers to the metal, however, is pronounced /LED/, with a short e. To this moderately convoluted situation, add the past tense and past participle of the verb lead, which is led and pronounced like the metal noun lead with a short e. The homophonic confusion leads to homographic confusion, and you will therefore occasionally see lead in constructions where led is called for (as in, “She lead the ducklings to safety” instead of “She led the ducklings to safety”). The correct past and past participle of lead is spelled led. If you aren’t sure whether to use led or lead as the verb in your sentence, try reading it aloud to yourself. If the verb is pronounced /LED/, use led.
Examples of led in a Sentence
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
Singers Jourdan Blue and Leo High School Choir, as well as freestyle rapper Chris Turner and LED dance group LightWire were the last five standing.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Heading into the night's finale, 10 finalists remained — Sanchez, Turner, singer Jourdan Blue, singer Micah Palace, Leo High School Choir, LED dance group LightWire, rapper Mama Duke, variety act Sirca Marea, musician Steve Ray Ladson and dance group Team Recycled.
—Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Ezvalo Set of 2 Rechargeable Under-Cabinet LED Lights Installation takes all of 60 seconds, reviewers said, and requires no tools or damage to walls or cabinetry.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for led
Cite this Entry
“Led.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/led. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
led
1 of 2past and past participle of lead
LED
2 of 2 nounNoun
light-emitting diode
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