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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.

In response to the October 2024 attack, Deby launched a counter-offensive which he vowed to "personally" lead on the ground for two weeks.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Danon Bourbon and So Happy moved up to challenge for the lead on the far turn, with the Japanese horse moving better.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026

Panarin gave the Kings a 1-0 lead on a wrister from the inside edge of the right circle with less than seven minutes left in regulation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Those who do, he said, should buy more from the U.S.—“We have plenty”—and take the lead on reopening the strait.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

She tried to force her lips to form the words her mother had told her to speak, but they sat like lead on her tongue.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

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.