: 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
These high-temperature alloy components are sourced via just a handful of suppliers globally, thereby reducing capacity and increasing lead times.
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CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The time between pilot and commercialization can take years, which doesn’t align with fashion’s short lead times and seasonal calendar.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
Sonic booms are unlikely to offer enough lead time for, say, a passenger jet to escape a collision course with a plummeting piece of space junk.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 Jan. 2026
Turbine lead times turn electricity into a time market.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lead time
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CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The time between pilot and commercialization can take years, which doesn’t align with fashion’s short lead times and seasonal calendar.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
Sonic booms are unlikely to offer enough lead time for, say, a passenger jet to escape a collision course with a plummeting piece of space junk.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 Jan. 2026
Turbine lead times turn electricity into a time market.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lead time
Cite this Entry
“Lead time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lead%20time. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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