LEADS ON Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

leads on

verb

present tense third-person singular of lead on

as in tempts

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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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 leads on No operator, as of September 2026, leads on all of them at once. — Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026 In 1982, the actress was cast as one of the leads on the satirical comedy Filthy Rich. — Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026 Canada leads on stability and institutional quality, but has historically trailed peers on labor productivity, business scaling and domestic market size. — Control Risks, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Egypt leads on the scoreboard, however, and is 45 minutes away from its first win ever at the World Cup. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is pursuing leads on its next director. — Matthew Kelly june 9, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026 When Michael left the band in 1984, Jackie continued with The Jacksons, splitting leads on the group’s last album with Jermaine. — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026 The government argued the two anonymous plaintiffs had never been personally targeted and therefore had no basis to sue, noting that a state department review of 5,000 leads on campus protesters resulted in visa revocations in less than 1% of cases. — Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026 While the bullpen has lost closer Robert Suarez, LHP Adrián Morejón and RHPs Mason Miller, Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada figure to have leads on lock after the fifth inning. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leads on

Verb

While Sal tempts Sessa’s Bourdain with drugs, thievery and more bad behavior.

— Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
The slight dogleg to the right tempts players to take an aggressive line off the tee, but an expansive waste bunker guards the shortcut and punishes any miscalculation.

— Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of tempts

Verb

The Vegetarian by Han Kang, 208 Pages This haunting novel lures readers when a woman’s sudden decision to stop eating meat triggers a destructive crisis in her family.

— Arabella Hau, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
Red Ginger, an uber-popular pan-Asian eatery, lures guests with classics like a phenomenal spicy duck and watermelon salad and IG-worthy lobster pad Thai.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of lures

Verb

Diaz centers music as the emotional vehicle that provides a philosophical structure for the character tropes and in turn psychologically seduces the audience to internalize certain ideas of social dynamics.

— Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
On his final voyage, Gulliver meets the Houyhnhnms, a race of supremely intelligent horses that follow the wisdom of reason and tradition rather than the speculation of science and technology that seduces the Laputans.

— Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of seduces

Verb

The eight-episode series, written by Peter Ocko, follows a giant tech conglomerate that persuades the city to place a powerful robot on its police force – a robot implanted with the consciousness of a beloved fallen officer, Alex Murphy (Stevens).

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Nia then persuades Tefa to join her in smuggling cell phones into the regional prison.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of persuades

Verb

Turkey’s growing hair transplant and restoration industry in particular entices people with easy-to-digest all-inclusive packages advertised on their websites, online placements, and social media.

— Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 23 Sep. 2026
The high-concept thriller stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as a demonic character called The Stranger, who entices a young mother played by Jasmine Trinca into forging a Faustian pact.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of entices

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“Leads on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leads%20on. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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