ENGLISH THESAURUS & DICTIONARY

lead

noun · verb

Words like lead

Compare the definitions to choose the right meaning.

156 words · noun, verbSort by

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confidential information

Synonymnoun

contribute

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Related words aren’t always interchangeable. Check the definition before you choose.

MEANING & USAGE

Definitions & examples

01noun

an advantage held by a competitor in a race

“he took the lead at the last turn”

02noun

evidence pointing to a possible solution

“the police are following a promising lead”

“the trail led straight to the perpetrator”

03noun

a position of being the initiator of something and an example that others will follow (especially in the phrase ‘take the lead’)

“he takes the lead in any group”

“we were just waiting for someone to take the lead”

04noun

the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)

27 more meanings

05noun

the introductory section of a story

“it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter”

06noun

(sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning

07noun

an actor who plays a principal role

08noun

(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base

“he took a long lead off first”

09noun

an indication of potential opportunity

“he got a tip on the stock market”

“a good lead for a job”

10noun

a news story of major importance

11noun

the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine

12noun

restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal

13noun

thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing

14noun

a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire

“it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads”

15noun

the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge

“the lead was in the dummy”

16noun

a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey

“the children were playing with lead soldiers”

17noun

mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil

18verb

take somebody somewhere

“we led him to our chief”

“can you take me to the main entrance?”

19verb

produce as a result or residue

“The water left a mark on the silk dress”

“Her blood left a stain on the napkin”

20verb

tend to or result in

“This remark led to further arguments among the guests”

21verb

travel in front of; go in advance of others

“The procession was headed by John”

22verb

cause to undertake a certain action

“Her greed led her to forge the checks”

23verb

stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point

“Service runs all the way to Cranbury”

“His knowledge doesn't go very far”

24verb

be in charge of

“Who is heading this project?”

25verb

be ahead of others; be the first

“she topped her class every year”

26verb

be conducive to

“The use of computers in the classroom led to better writing”

27verb

lead, as in the performance of a composition

“conduct an orchestra”

“Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years”

28verb

lead, extend, or afford access

“This door goes to the basement”

“The road runs South”

29verb

move ahead (of others) in time or space

30verb

cause something to pass or lead somewhere

“Run the wire behind the cabinet”

31verb

preside over

“John moderated the discussion”

Meanings and examples from Open English WordNet 2025. About our sources ↗

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Expressions with “lead”

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Explore multiword dictionary entries containing this word. Each has its own meanings and related words.

lead on lead up lead off lead ore pig lead red lead clip lead hard lead