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

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

Long lead times for precision castings have become one of the biggest obstacles because turbine components require specialized materials, strict quality controls, and highly skilled manufacturing processes. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026

The model promotes brand consistencey, reduces costs, shortens lead times and helps build a traceable supply chain. — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 30 July 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