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 28-year-old documented his preparations in the lead-up to Saturday's record attempt, titling his endeavours 'Project 222' in reference to the total number of seconds standing between him and history.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Rice, who suffered with a sickness bug in the lead-up to Saturday's quarter-final victory over Norway in Miami, was substituted at half-time.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 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
“Moths, gnats, and God knows what else,” he’d said in the lead-up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 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.
