take the lead

phrase

1

: to take a position that is ahead of others : go first

You take the lead and we'll follow right behind you.

2

: to take the winning position in a race or competition

Her car has taken the lead.

Our team took the lead in the eighth inning.

—often used figuratively

Their company has taken the lead in developing this new technology.

Examples of take the lead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then Bryson Graves returned the second-half kickoff 42 yards, and Silver capitalized on the short field with a 12-yard touchdown catch to take the lead. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Los Angeles needed a last-minute touchdown to take the lead over a team that entered the red zone five times and failed to score a single touchdown. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

As creating content becomes easier, the real value comms pros offer may increasingly come from knowing what to say, what matters to an audience and when human judgment needs to take the lead. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

After throwing for just 18 yards in a scoreless third quarter, Craig had multiple chances to help TCU tie or take the lead in the fourth. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for take the lead

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead