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

Trump earlier this month invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate weapons production, citing systemic constraints in the munitions base, including limited production capacity, fragile supply chains and long lead times. —Luke Fountain, CNBC, 24 June 2026

On-site, behind-the-meter generation lets operators scale without waiting on the grid or hitting consumers in the wallet, and rapid-deployment options like fuel cells can keep pace with development otherwise constrained by gas-turbine backlogs and long nuclear lead times. —Vimal Kapur, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Grid equipment demand has surged in recent years and lead times for critical components have stretched. —David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

The federal financing would be used to purchase nuclear components with long lead times, and are not construction loans. —Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 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