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Synonyms

lead on

British  
/ liːd /

verb

  1. (tr, adverb) to lure or entice, esp into trouble or wrongdoing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
lead on Idioms  

  1. Entice someone into proceeding, mislead; also, deceive someone, especially pretending romantic interest. For example, He's leading her on to reveal more of her family history, or She's just leading him on; she has a serious boyfriend at home. [Late 1500s]

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.

Blanchett, who takes the lead on his family’s investment decisions, could sell to pay tuition for his four children.

From The Wall Street Journal

If that fails, Washington would press allies in Europe and the Gulf to take the lead on reopening the strait, the officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal

O'Hara, the police tactical lead on dangerous dogs, warns that XL bullies "will be with us for generations to come".

From BBC

And that is exactly what they did, taking the lead on 11 minutes through Chris Chilton before Law pulled one back for United in the 78th minute to send the game into extra time.

From BBC

When Boston went to work on a new album, “Life, Love & Hope,” featuring vocals from Delp and others, DeCarlo sang lead on the title track and contributed to others.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.