lead time

noun

ˈlēd- 

: the time between the beginning of a process or project and the appearance of its results

Examples of lead time in a Sentence

We will need at least six months lead time before production begins.

Recent Examples on the Web

If inventory misalignments and bloated lead times are the central financial drains on modern retail, Seth argues that the root cause is rarely found on the shop floor. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026

That long lead time can result in vaccines that aren’t well targeted to the circulating viruses. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026

Component lead times from Chinese suppliers have reportedly fallen from around 14 weeks to as few as three, the same manufacturing compression that made China's EV industry hard to compete with. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Even a small improvement in lead time can have an outsized economic return. — Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lead time

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• nighttime