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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of leads
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Isiah Pacheco, who missed Kansas City's Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills with an MCL sprain, leads the team with just 329 rushing yards.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL in receiving yards.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
However, Netflix leads in monetization with a 39% share of an overall $124M market, followed by TrueID with 15% and Viu with 12%.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
Anticipating and preparing for war leads quite naturally to accepting its inevitability.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Boozman leads the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which has legislative jurisdiction over matters involving nutrition programs.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2025
China surged later and now leads global commercial shipbuilding by a wide margin.
—Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
Marshall leads Boise State with 467 receiving yards on 24 receptions.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2025
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
San Diego had a chance to do the same, but squandered two leads, and put three penalties off target — two over the bar and one off the bar.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
As the two keepers' accelerating madness batters their already uneasy relationship, the film becomes a phantasmagorical endurance test, with the two antagonistic leads hurling themselves against their tight confinement.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
In New Jersey’s modern political history, such margins have been rare, particularly in statewide contests where Democratic candidates tend to face narrower leads.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
And while the chemistry between the two romantic leads is solid, the movie never connects emotionally.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Costumes for the film’s female leads didn’t appear in stores like Spirit Halloween until late September, the journal reported.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
Currently YouTube has separate leads for Creator Products (Amjad Hanif) and Emerging Experiences & Community Products (Toni Reid); those teams will be merged into one organization and YouTube is in the process of hiring a new lead for the combined team who will report to Mohan.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
Why did narwhal brave the spring ice leads?
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
This little Sex and the City moment leads us right to the topic at the center of this episode’s cast.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Isiah Pacheco, who missed Kansas City's Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills with an MCL sprain, leads the team with just 329 rushing yards.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL in receiving yards.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
However, Netflix leads in monetization with a 39% share of an overall $124M market, followed by TrueID with 15% and Viu with 12%.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
Anticipating and preparing for war leads quite naturally to accepting its inevitability.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Boozman leads the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which has legislative jurisdiction over matters involving nutrition programs.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2025
China surged later and now leads global commercial shipbuilding by a wide margin.
—Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
Marshall leads Boise State with 467 receiving yards on 24 receptions.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
His departure comes as Michael Michele, one of the series’ leads, exited late last week, as Deadline revealed exclusively.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
San Diego had a chance to do the same, but squandered two leads, and put three penalties off target — two over the bar and one off the bar.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
As the two keepers' accelerating madness batters their already uneasy relationship, the film becomes a phantasmagorical endurance test, with the two antagonistic leads hurling themselves against their tight confinement.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
In New Jersey’s modern political history, such margins have been rare, particularly in statewide contests where Democratic candidates tend to face narrower leads.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
And while the chemistry between the two romantic leads is solid, the movie never connects emotionally.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Costumes for the film’s female leads didn’t appear in stores like Spirit Halloween until late September, the journal reported.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
Currently YouTube has separate leads for Creator Products (Amjad Hanif) and Emerging Experiences & Community Products (Toni Reid); those teams will be merged into one organization and YouTube is in the process of hiring a new lead for the combined team who will report to Mohan.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
Why did narwhal brave the spring ice leads?
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leads
Verb
-
The vibe definitely steers more toward homey than hotel, which is fitting considering its remote, spectacular location.—
Chadner Navarro,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The plot unfolds at the urgent but erratic pace of a life-altering business deal, as Bonitzer unfussily steers us through a series of small rooms as people scramble to determine the proper thing to do with Schiele’s painting.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The news came as about 300 people marched in a circle in front of the entrance to Coast Guard Island, an artificial island between Oakland and Alameda that houses several major United States Coast Guard commands.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Catturd commands significant influence online.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
An advertisement for the Résonance, which Francis Ford Coppola saved and was later found by his wife, leading to the gift, accompanies the watch, Boutros says.—
Laurie Brookins,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But more important to the story than the autobiographical details, which in any case are swallowed up by the vortex of fiction, is the devastating loss of meaning that accompanies the death of a child.—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Covering these plants with frost blankets or cloches also extends the harvesting too, but brassicas usually have the best flavor if they are picked right after the first or second frost.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Steve Martin extends his prolific creative legacy with his and frequent collaborator Alison Brown’s new album, Safe, Sensible and Sane.—
Russ Penuell,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In making the announcement, Lego brought out Ke Huy Quan, the Oscar winner who famously played Data, for a nostalgic mini-film, in which the actor guides viewers through the set and its Easter eggs.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Through heartfelt storytelling and vibrant illustrations, the book guides children (and the adults reading with them) toward a deeper understanding of self-expression, balance, personal joy, and the importance of one’s feelings.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Wilson was a constant presence at public forums and knew many principals and administrators on a first-name basis.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Former school principals scrubbed toilets; physicists became cashiers.—
Julia Ioffe,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Urwerk revealed a watch that measures the distances our planet travels across the time-space continuum.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Adult Osedax generally grow on whale bones and their larvae are dispersed over large distances to populate other whale fall ecosystems hundreds of miles away.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Otherwise, keep an eye out for additional care tips from the manufacturer's instructions for your specific robovac.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The police chief began to field tips about simian sightings as far away as Florida.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leads. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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