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.
Feyi-Waboso then weaved his way through half the Munster defence to give Chiefs a 31-0 lead at the break.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Zelinger’s experience at Palantir would later lead him to co-found the startup Closure Intelligence, a digital-analyst platform for law-enforcement agencies.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
It's paramount that astronauts work out: the microgravity environment takes stress off bones and muscles, which can lead to significant loss without precautions.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
"You often have undergraduates that are part of papers - faculty choose undergraduates all the time to work on papers and projects. But for an undergraduate to be the lead author is a huge deal."
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
Emma and I lead our gaggle of kids outside.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
![]()
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.