: the introductory section of a news story that is intended to entice the reader to read the full story
The BBC buried the lede [=did not emphasize the most important information] when it reported that the number of millionaires increased by 5.2 million last year. … The bigger news … is that membership in the global middle class has exploded over the last two decades.—
Ronald Bailey
Ronald BaileyExamples of lede in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Use shorter ledes for topics popular on mobile.
—Malana Vantyler, Ascend Agency, 6 Nov. 2025
White describes Laurence as the love of her life, and a great journalist who often helped her with writing catchier headlines, stronger ledes and offering first reads.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025
However, despite the dominant themes of enemies and bad reputation, the underlying lede is the secret romance evolving despite them.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
Don’t bury the lede (the most important information) later on in your content.
—Karan Sharma, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lede
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Malana Vantyler, Ascend Agency, 6 Nov. 2025
White describes Laurence as the love of her life, and a great journalist who often helped her with writing catchier headlines, stronger ledes and offering first reads.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025
However, despite the dominant themes of enemies and bad reputation, the underlying lede is the secret romance evolving despite them.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
Don’t bury the lede (the most important information) later on in your content.
—Karan Sharma, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lede
Cite this Entry
“Lede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lede. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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