lead on

verb

led on; leading on; leads on

transitive verb

: to entice or induce to adopt or continue in a course or belief especially when unwise or mistaken

Example Sentences

a con man whose dupes are usually led on by their own greed and eagerness to turn an easy buck
Recent Examples on the Web This can involve arranging and attending meetings with clients, sourcing leads on new customers, and producing regular sales reports, among other duties. Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2023 The Southwest has long led on the use of heat-resilient architecture, and examples of creative buildings can be seen throughout the city. From Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2023 The Blue Jays grabbed the lead on back-to-back swings from Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer in the fifth inning. ROUGH START:Tigers respond to 2-7 record with the same approach: Win today's game AFTER 7 GAMES:Who are these Tigers? Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2023 The designation elevates the case of Evan Gershkovich in the U.S. government hierarchy and means that a dedicated State Department office will take the lead on securing his release. Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2023 Adesanya had been leading on the judges’ scorecards when Pereira won. Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2023 And Democrats lead on the generic congressional ballot 46% to the GOP's 38%. Ben Kamisar, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2023 The race resumed with Verstappen stalking Hamilton at the front of the field and the two-time world champion used his Red Bull’s superior speed to take the lead on Lap 12. Courtney Walsh, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lead on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lead on was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near lead on

Cite this Entry

“Lead on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lead%20on. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

lead on

verb
: to persuade to take up or continue in a course of action or belief when unwise or mistaken
led on by the promise of wealth
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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