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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leading on
America, after years of leading on tech and economic growth, is cutting itself off from global trade to protect manufacturing jobs few actually want to do.
—
Renaud Foucart, Time, 28 Sep. 2025
That’s what leading on the ground looks like.
—Raja Walia, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
Renaud Foucart, Time, 28 Sep. 2025
That’s what leading on the ground looks like.
—Raja Walia, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading on
Verb
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Pricing must stay fair enough for casual fans yet tempting enough for collectors.—
Dmitrii Khasanov,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Our moments of uncanny convergence—like bumping into an old flame at the exact right (or wrong) time—function like indulgences did in the days of Martin Luther, tempting us in the promise of paradise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in Asia and Africa, packing their ideological visions in the guise of development, and luring modernizing Asian and African leaders with loans and technical assistance in dam building and hydraulics.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Portugal has been a hotspot for digital nomads, luring foreign remote workers with friendly visa policies, a better quality of life, and a lower cost of living.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Here are some of the less invasive procedures seducing Hollywood, as well as some of their most sought-after practitioners.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
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The drama follows Veneno (played by non-pro Víctor Miguel), a headstrong young drifter who survives by seducing truck drivers at 24-hour roadside diners called cachimbas.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For other programs in recent years, previous relationships have proven critical as coaches like Indiana’s Curt Cignetti (hired from James Madison) and Washington’s Jedd Fisch (Arizona) were able to jump-start their rebuilds by persuading several of their key players to make the move with them.—
The Athletic Colleges staff,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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He’s been accused of persuading people to invest their life savings in his real estate opportunities and promising six-figure returns, only to take the profits for himself.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leading on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading%20on. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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