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

Perimenopause Perimenopause is the lead-up to menopause, often occurring during a woman’s 40s. — Jamie Ducharme, Health, 10 July 2026

The lead-up to the wedding feels like a ticking clock as Charlie and Emma’s best friend, Rachel (Alana Haim, perfectly cast), tries to reckon with feeling morally superior to the bride-to-be. — Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026

Verb

Months of legal jostling leading up to the hearing centered largely on media access. — ABC News, 5 July 2026

Giovani Lo Celso’s free kick was excellent (albeit the foul leading up to it was suspect) before Lionel Messi scored from a dead ball too after coming off the bench. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 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