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.
Sinner opted against contesting a grass tournament in the lead-up to Wimbledon, despite suffering a seismic second-round loss at the French Open at the end of May.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
It said there had been "unprecedented" average pay rises and financial incentives offered for "crunch" - a video game industry term for excessive, sometimes unpaid, overtime in the lead-up to a game's release.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
In the lead-up to America’s semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, we’ve been examining the history of the country through the lens of money and business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
In the lead-up to the album’s release, Samuel posted photos and videos of himself as a young child.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
She wasn’t sure of the details, but she could surmise that he’d told someone at the Mission Training Center in Provo that he’d done something inappropriate in the lead-up to the 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.
