: something (such as a television show or segment) that leads into something else
a lead-in to the commercial
lead-in adjective

Examples of lead-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
America’s Funniest Home Videos returns Sunday, Sept. 28 as a lead-in to the broadcast premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 July 2025 To name the new detention center in the Everglades Alligator Alcatraz is to spoon-feed the media a provocative label that sounds great as a lead-in to the local news or clickbait for online sources. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2025 But the power that these tools have, or could have, is a good lead-in for another question. Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025 This time frame was chosen to gather the most recent available data, bearing in mind the 45-day lead-in time mandated for members of Congress to report their trades publicly. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for lead-in

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lead-in was in 1913

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lead-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lead-in. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

lead-in

noun
ˈlēd-ˌin
: something (as a television show or segment) that leads into something else
lead-in adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on lead-in

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