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
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
Henning is a Managing Director at Glossary Artists, leading on talent strategy, brand partnerships, and long-term career growth for creators and talent from entertainment and digital media.
—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 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
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
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—
Idaho Statesman,
13 Aug. 2025
Steve Lopez
columnist
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Henning is a Managing Director at Glossary Artists, leading on talent strategy, brand partnerships, and long-term career growth for creators and talent from entertainment and digital media.
—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 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
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
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—
Idaho Statesman,
13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading on
Verb
-
The Casa Amor women are tasked with tempting the villa men to stray from their existing relationships while they are separated from the villa women for several days.
-
While many dangerous plants are unlikely to appear in a flower garden, there are some weeds that produce beautiful flowers and tempting berries that may look right at home next to your camellias, but are downright deadly.
Verb
-
Next, the instructor tries luring the child back into the pool with a sparkly pink rubber duck, which does the trick.
-
Dill can also act as a trap crop, luring hornworms away from tomatoes.
Verb
-
The writer thinks that the person seducing the main character is just some flotsam, hardly worth a second look.
-
That means seducing Paris Carver, Elliot's wife and Bond's ex, portrayed by Teri Hatcher.
Verb
-
Since Mary Grace’s death, her parents have poured their energy into persuading lawmakers to make camps safer by banning cabins in active flood plains, mandating 24-7 weather monitoring and requiring rigorous annual evacuation training.
-
Vance is leading the negotiations with Iran, which include persuading the Islamic Republic to pull back its support for Hezbollah in return for financial relief.
Cite this Entry
“Leading on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading%20on. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
