lead up to

/ liːd /

verb

1. to act as a preliminary or introduction to

2. to approach (a topic) gradually or cautiously

Idioms and Phrases

Prepare gradually for, result in gradually, as in These events clearly led up to the coup, or His remarks led up to the main point of the speech, that he was going to resign next year. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Fiona Eastwood, the boss of Merlin Entertainment, which owns Thorpe Park, Alton Towers and Legoland told the BBC that the lead up to Halloween now rivals its peak summer season in driving profits at some sites.

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Crowley, like Escobar, had been critical of the mayor and of the level of funding the fire department received in the lead up to the Palisades fire.

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"A time came for me when a switch was flicked, it was in the lead up to the Paris Games. I went through some health challenges, which, quite frankly, really rocked me mentally," she said.

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Then, despite Newsom signing the law, the cardroom industry spent more than $3 million in the lead up to the November election in retaliation against four lawmakers who played key roles in the bill’s passage.

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In the former garage, stairs from the art studio lead up to the ADU and bathroom.

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