lead-up
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of lead-up
1950–55; noun use of verb phrase lead up ( to )
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.
The case had already attracted attention in the lead-up to the execution date as Pike would have been the first woman put to death by the state of Tennessee in more than 200 years.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
In the lead-up to closing the deal, Paramount has gained some access to CNN’s operations, but there is still much to analyze before determining how best to manage the two.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Analysts have become increasingly bullish on Synopsys in the lead-up to its investor day event.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
In the lead-up to a potentially record-breaking initial public offering, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is calling for a slowdown in artificial-intelligence development due to the risks associated with the technology.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 12, 2026
Reggie had lied, several times, in the lead-up to his mission.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
