LEADING ON Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

leading on

verb

present participle of lead on

as in tempting

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

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.

Recent Examples of leading on Rowan Woods, the former creative chief at the Edinburgh TV Festival, has been leading on this work for months as an independent consultant. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 July 2026 Designers should be leading on what consumers actually need, said Munster, the investor. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 25 July 2026 By passing Section 106, the Commonwealth can show that leading on AI innovation and leading on responsible oversight are one and the same. — Jesse Rothman, Boston Herald, 17 July 2026 By 101 measures, Los Angeles is one of the great cities of the world and California has built the world’s fourth-largest economy while leading on climate change, so apocalyptic diagnoses are a bit off the mark. — Steve Lopez columnist follow, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 Maryland is leading on this issue. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026 And, a year ago, Republicans were the ones leading on the congressional ballot, showing just how much the landscape has shifted in Democrats' favor. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026 Being Different means standing apart - leading on innovation and setting trends. — Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 Formichetti has previously held roles at Mugler, Diesel and Uniqlo, leading on artistic and creative direction. — Vogue Business Team, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading on

Verb

Others tried to widen their gaze to make sure their eyes would be open as the camera clicked, though the afternoon sun was tempting us to squint.

— Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
Be honest about what’s irritating or tempting you, because something’s got to give!

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

Definition of tempting

Verb

After a shaky 2025, Chipotle is successfully luring customers back — even with spiking gas prices and other higher costs pressuring dining budgets.

— Amelia Lucas,Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 29 July 2026
The young women acted as underground assassins, seducing Nazi officers, luring them into the woods and killing them.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026

Definition of luring

Verb

The young women acted as underground assassins, seducing Nazi officers, luring them into the woods and killing them.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
The writer thinks that the person seducing the main character is just some flotsam, hardly worth a second look.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2026

Definition of seducing

Verb

Zoox successfully navigated the regulations by persuading the NHTSA to allow temporary permission.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
This broader strategy also helps explain why persuading countries to avoid Chinese AI will likely prove considerably more difficult than Washington’s earlier campaign against Huawei and ZTE.

— Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026