1
as in steers
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front
an enthusiastic docent led our group through the art museum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in commands
to serve as leader of
a senior programmer is leading the team that is developing the new accounting software
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
5
as in guides
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed
the salesclerk led us through the maze of options now available to television buyers
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in principals
the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show
the actor's career has really taken off since he became the lead in that prime-time drama
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distances
the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects
the runner maintained a lead of several meters all the way around the track
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tips
a piece of advice or useful information especially from an expert
my sister got a lead on the job opening from her neighbor, who is the human resources director for the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in clues
a slight or indirect pointing to something (as a solution or explanation)
the police are now working on several leads generated by the evidence gathered at the crime scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leads
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Tang, who leads the DoorDash Labs automation and robotics unit, said Dot is a solution to increasingly complex deliveries, and attempts to open the technology to local merchants.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
Penn State transfer Beau Pribula had the best game of his career in a win over Kansas, and Louisiana-Monroe transfer Ahmad Hardy leads the nation in rushing yards (730) and rushing touchdowns (9).
—David Ubben, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Among those returners is star running back Jeremiyah Love, who leads the team with 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground on 66 carries.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 30 Sep. 2025
This means that inflationary expansion, unlike matter-and-radiation, didn’t follow a power law that leads back to a singularity but rather is exponential in character.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
There’s also Scott Beebe, a 66-year-old, 14-year VMRG rescue-level member who has summited Holy Cross 15 times and leads summertime pilgrimages to the Notch Mountain overlook as pastor of Vail’s Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
—Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Chef Andrew Zimmern leads Friday’s spotlight on Cayman cuisine, returning in 2026 with a fresh twist.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2025
Jess doubles harmony and leads while Cameron lays on high-tenor smooth bass to create that buttery Nineties country sound.
—Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Hot-start squads have a sense of urgency while trying to protect unexpected early leads.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Hyppönen opened up about her leads.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Investigators have sought various leads, including hopes that a rifle seized in an Alameda County shooting investigation shortly thereafter would prove to be the murder weapon, but so far nothing has panned out.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Yes, the procedural is kicking off the season with one of the show's reliable leads as one of its victims.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
In the past decade, the Chargers have blown leads of 11 or more points 10 times.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Forensic scientists followed genetic leads and concluded that McWhorter was likely the unidentified woman.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
In 2019, Jackman and Foster were announced as the leads in the Broadway revival of The Music Man.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Florida currently leads the nation in 287(g) agreements, which allow local law enforcement to perform certain immigration enforcement duties, with 327 in total, a 577 % increase since January 2025, according to DHS.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Tang, who leads the DoorDash Labs automation and robotics unit, said Dot is a solution to increasingly complex deliveries, and attempts to open the technology to local merchants.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
Penn State transfer Beau Pribula had the best game of his career in a win over Kansas, and Louisiana-Monroe transfer Ahmad Hardy leads the nation in rushing yards (730) and rushing touchdowns (9).
—David Ubben, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Among those returners is star running back Jeremiyah Love, who leads the team with 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground on 66 carries.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 30 Sep. 2025
This means that inflationary expansion, unlike matter-and-radiation, didn’t follow a power law that leads back to a singularity but rather is exponential in character.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
There’s also Scott Beebe, a 66-year-old, 14-year VMRG rescue-level member who has summited Holy Cross 15 times and leads summertime pilgrimages to the Notch Mountain overlook as pastor of Vail’s Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
—Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Chef Andrew Zimmern leads Friday’s spotlight on Cayman cuisine, returning in 2026 with a fresh twist.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2025
Jess doubles harmony and leads while Cameron lays on high-tenor smooth bass to create that buttery Nineties country sound.
—Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
This profile was sent to CBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team, which used it to create new leads in the case, the company said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Hot-start squads have a sense of urgency while trying to protect unexpected early leads.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Hyppönen opened up about her leads.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Investigators have sought various leads, including hopes that a rifle seized in an Alameda County shooting investigation shortly thereafter would prove to be the murder weapon, but so far nothing has panned out.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Yes, the procedural is kicking off the season with one of the show's reliable leads as one of its victims.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
In the past decade, the Chargers have blown leads of 11 or more points 10 times.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Forensic scientists followed genetic leads and concluded that McWhorter was likely the unidentified woman.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
In 2019, Jackman and Foster were announced as the leads in the Broadway revival of The Music Man.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leads
Verb
-
And McConaughey, as a nervy reluctant hero, steers the searing, intense narrative about normal people living through the most hellish of circumstances.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
-
How exactly this occurs will shape the way the atmosphere steers the developing storm.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But Indy commands the screen and earns his spot as a leader of the 2025 spooky season.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Even for Latines who aren’t necessarily Bad Bunny or reggaeton fans, the artist commands respect.—
Raquel Reichard,
Refinery29,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some of her absentmindedness in that situation can be attributed to the sleep deprivation that accompanies life as new parent.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
While not a musical, the show does feature an extraordinary musical score that perfectly accompanies magnificent visuals.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Though funding for aid programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has been approved for October, said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, the program may be in trouble if the shutdown extends beyond that month.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
1 Oct. 2025
-
From there, Hawes extends his arms and drives the defensive end out of contention for making the play.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That personal instinct is what guides me far more than any formula.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Antideficiency Act, first passed in 1870, forbids the federal government from spending money not appropriated by Congress, and guides much of what the federal government can and can’t do during a shutdown.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Schools must follow state mandates on instructional hours, but states typically don’t set strict rules on how long a lunch period should be, so some principals whittle it down to twenty or twenty-five minutes.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
-
After a week-long nomination period, The Tennessean received four responses from guidance counselors, coaches, teachers and principals.—
Gabrielle Chenault,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
On average, as confirmed for thousands upon thousands of galaxies at all different distances, the farther away a galaxy is from us, the greater the amount its light is redshifted.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
26 Sep. 2025
-
These two dwarf galaxies orbit the Milky Way at distances of 163,000 and 200,000 light-years, respectively, moving through our galaxy's outer halo of hot gas not too dissimilar, but on a much smaller scale, from the Virgo Cluster's halo of hot gas.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
HomeGoods Featured Finder, lifestyle content creator, and fall enthusiast Steffy Degreff, shares all her favorite tips for easily incorporating all of autumn’s comforts into your home’s decor.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
-
After nearly a decade in the test kitchen at Southern Living, Odom is putting her best tips and tricks, tried and true classic recipes passed down through generations, and her own spin on trendy recipes all in one place.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leads. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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