lead-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈlēd-ˌəp 

: something that leads up to or prepares the way for something else

lead up

2 of 2

verb

ˈlēd- 

led up; leading up; leads up

intransitive verb

1

: to prepare the way

2

: to make a gradual or indirect approach to a topic

Examples of lead-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the lead-up to the suspension, IRAP had more than two hundred and fifty clients in Jordan. —Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026

What makes all this so engaging is the knowledge that eventually, one side or the other will slip up and people will get hurt, and the confidence that Nemesis’s inner world is so vibrant that the fallout will just be as compelling as the lead-up. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 May 2026

Verb

Saleh shook off his 0-for-3 day leading up to the pivotal at-bat and was ready to pounce. —Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026

The actor also showcased two classic sneaker styles by Adidas — Stan Smiths and Samba OG sneakers — at recent Knicks playoffs games, leading up to the reveal of the World Cup short film he was featured in by the German athletic brand. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1942, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lead-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

lead up

verb

(ˈ)lēd-ˈəp 

: to make a gradual approach to a topic