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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lead on
Verb
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These laid-back, flowy palazzo pants come in over 20 colorways and are so easy to move in, you’ll be tempted to wear them every day.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026 -
You’re tempted to cut off a crush as Mercury meets Mars.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just around the corner, the hotel’s compact fitness centre lures even the least fitness-enthusiastic guests, thanks to knockout treadmill views extending to the bay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
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But after talks stalled, the Bears expanded their stadium search to Indiana, a move that raised the stakes as Indiana lawmakers quickly approved their own legislation to lure the Bears across the state line.—
Marissa Perlman,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sammy, a troubled 13-year-old, secretly enlists against his mother’s wishes — seduced by promises of purpose, patriotism, and notoriety.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
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The show is also virtually devoid of romantic escapades, a good thing since Dumas’ novel is filled with a lot of sentimental claptrap about fighting for defenseless women’s honor or seducing virtuous maidens or going to war due to the physical beauty of a monarch.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That will mean persuading companies whose executives are still grappling with AI to start investing in a technology that few have begun to think about.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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Countries, including Iran, have long tried to manipulate information to persuade or influence what people think outside the region.—
Andrea Hickerson,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Available in two different colorways, conservative design connoisseurs will likely find comfort in the classic blue and natural beige color combo, while the punchy purple and green option might entice those with more adventurous color appetites.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
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The idea is to leverage empty storefronts to build buzz and entice more shoppers to city sidewalks.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lead on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lead%20on. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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