lead
Usage
What are other ways to say lead?
To lead is to bring onward in a course, guiding by contact or by going in advance; hence, figuratively, to influence or induce to some course of conduct: to lead a procession; to lead astray. Guide implies continuous presence or agency in showing or indicating a course: to guide a traveler. To conduct is to precede or escort them to a place, sometimes with a degree of ceremony: to conduct a guest to his room. To direct is to give information for guidance, or instructions or orders for a course of procedure: to direct someone to the station.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I believe that in order to lead this company, you have to understand what it actually feels like to be a fan,” he said onstage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
The Newry-born 25-year-old entered the final event, the 800m, with a 51-point lead on nearest challenger Emma Oosterwegel of the Netherlands.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Then he and and lead vocalist Brad Delp refined six songs, playing all the instruments except the drums with Delp handling the vocals, and sent out a new tape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
"People have been discussing this hypothesis for about 60 years," said Sachin Suresh, a PhD student in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University and lead author of the study.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Access to food is increasingly difficult; one night Father Monaghan watches an elderly man lead his son through the trash, searching for scraps.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
There, Hodgkinson improved her British record off the back of a training block focused on developing her 400m speed, before beginning her 800m-specific work leading into the summer's main targets.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Seemiller, a professor and one of the leading researchers of Gen Z, sees the pattern as generationally predictable.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava focused during the offseason on trying to be a more vocal leader as he prepares for his third season leading the Trojans’ offense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Meanwhile, planned maintenance and upgrades have to be postponed, leading to a maintenance backlog.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
We started walking again, Rufus leading, back through the orchard toward the house.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
That epidemic led to 75 deaths in California and more than 3,000 hospital admissions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
And in the Peak District a fire in Totley Rail Tunnel between Totley, Sheffield, and Grindleford, has led to all lines being closed.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Two studies led by Ludwig Princeton's Jenna AbuSalim and Director Joshua Rabinowitz offer new insight into that process.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Such attacks led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Katie and I were led around like lambs.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Vocabulary lists containing lead
Black and Gray
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Journalism
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Theater - Introductory
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