as in to tempt
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
a con man whose dupes are usually led on by their own greed and eagerness to turn an easy buck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lead on
Verb
-
With fall flavors like cinnamon and pumpkin, the right cookie will tempt even the biggest pie fans.—
Macie Stump,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025 -
That way, you aren’t tempted to doze on the couch or adult bed with the baby in your arms.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Next June, electric bills across that region will absorb billions more dollars in higher wholesale electricity costs designed to lure new power plants to power data centers.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Her mechanism for luring victims involves a stick, someone’s hair, her blood, and another person stupid enough to let her through their front door.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Choudhary, a collector of contemporary art as well as Indian artifacts, considered a career in hospitality before he was seduced by the gems his family has traded for centuries.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Jacob plots to seduce his employers and gain an advantage from their industry connections, but unwittingly walks into a trap.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
For their part, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere each worked hard to persuade Irishmen, Hessians, Indigenous people, and former slaves to defect to the patriot side.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The Running Point actress was spotted shopping for holiday presents last December with a hands-free bag strapped across her body, and just one 12-second TikTok clip persuaded us to dole out some change on a purse that’s just like hers.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Africa’s leading banking groups are targeting DR Congo, enticed by one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies and the promise of a lucrative mining sector, despite the ongoing conflict in the country’s east.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
There were questions swirling over whether Nintendo’s Switch 2 would be different enough from its predecessor to entice users.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Lead on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lead%20on. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share