Word
lead
Phoneticslead
/ˈɫɛd/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
lead
Past
led
Past participle
led
Definitions
01to guide or show the way
A2 · Elementary
v. to go with someone or in front of them to show them the right way.
v. to conduct or escort a person or group by moving in front of them or alongside them.
日本語:率いる※
“The tour guide will lead the group through the ancient castle ruins.”
“The local sherpa agreed to lead the expedition through the treacherous mountain pass before the winter storms arrived.”
Antonyms
02to be in first place
B1 · Intermediate Sports
v. to be winning a race or a game.
v. to hold the advantage or the first position in a competition or hierarchy.
日本語:リードする※
“The Kenyan runner began to lead the marathon after the first ten miles.”
“The incumbent candidate continues to lead in the polls, though the margin has narrowed significantly over the last week.”
03to result in
B1 · Intermediate
v. to cause something to happen or to reach a certain place.
v. to result in a particular state or to have a specific destination as a terminus.
日本語:つながる※
“Eating too much sugar can lead to health problems like tooth decay.”
“The investigation eventually led to the discovery of a massive tax evasion scheme involving several offshore accounts.”
04to live a certain way
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to live a particular kind of life.
v. to experience or go through a specific lifestyle or existence.
“After retiring, they wanted to lead a quiet life in the countryside.”
“Despite his immense wealth, he chose to lead a modest existence, donating the majority of his earnings to local charities.”
Synonyms
05the metal
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Science Technical
n. a heavy, soft, grey metal that was often used in pipes and paint in the past.
n. a heavy, bluish-grey metallic element (Pb) known for its high density and low melting point.
“Old houses sometimes have pipes made of lead that should be replaced.”
“The researchers detected high levels of lead in the soil samples collected near the abandoned battery factory.”
06winning position
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. the amount by which someone is winning a game or race.
n. the state of being ahead in a competition or the specific margin of advantage.
“The team held a two-goal lead until the final minutes of the match.”
“The cyclist maintained a comfortable lead over the peloton, ensuring a solo victory at the finish line.”
07main actor or role
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Theater
n. the most important actor or part in a movie or play.
n. the principal character or the performer who portrays that character in a production.
“She was thrilled to get the lead in the school play.”
“The director spent months auditioning actors before finding the perfect lead for the upcoming historical drama.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
08a clue
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. a piece of information that helps solve a mystery or crime.
n. a piece of evidence or information that directs an investigation toward a solution.
“The police are following a new lead that might help find the missing car.”
“The detective spent weeks chasing down every lead, but the case remained cold until an anonymous tip arrived.”
09animal strap
A2 · Elementary Countable noun British English
n. a long strap or chain used to walk a dog.
n. a tether or leash used to control an animal while walking.
“You must keep your dog on a lead when walking in the park.”
“The trainer demonstrated how to walk a reactive dog on a short lead to maintain better control in crowded areas.”
10pencil core
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the black part inside a pencil that you use for writing.
n. the graphite and clay core of a pencil used for marking.
“I need to sharpen my pencil because the lead broke.”
“The artist preferred using a softer lead for shading, as it allowed for a broader range of dark tones.”
Synonyms
11electrical wire
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Engineering British English · Technical
n. a wire that connects a piece of electrical equipment to a power supply.
n. an insulated conductor used to transmit electrical energy or signals between devices.
“The computer won't turn on because the power lead is loose.”
“The technician checked the resistance of the test leads before beginning the diagnostic procedure on the circuit board.”
12most important
B1 · Intermediate
adj. the main or most important one in a group.
adj. occupying the principal or foremost position in a sequence or hierarchy.
“He is the lead singer of a very famous rock band.”
“The lead scientist presented the team's findings at the international conference, sparking a lively debate among the attendees.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “lead” in context.
Verb
01. increase lead
“The party hopes to increase its lead in the upcoming local elections.”
verb + noun
02. lead evaporates
“Their three-goal lead evaporated in a disastrous second half.”
noun + verb
03. lead narrows
“The candidate's lead narrowed significantly as the final votes were counted.”
noun + verb
04. lose lead
“They lost their lead in the final minutes of the game.”
verb + noun
05. maintain lead
“The driver worked hard to maintain his lead on the wet track.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. commanding lead
“The champion established a commanding lead in the first half of the race.”
adj + noun
07. early lead
“She took an early lead and held it throughout the marathon.”
adj + noun
08. slender lead
“The team managed to defend their slender lead until the final whistle.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. margin of lead
“The narrow margin of his lead meant that a recount was necessary.”
noun + prep + noun
10. hold a comfortable lead
“The incumbent senator currently holds a comfortable lead in the polls.”
11. stretch a lead to
“The striker scored again to stretch their lead to three goals.”
12. surrender a lead
“It was disappointing to see the team surrender a two-goal lead so late in the game.”
Usage
Commonly used in collocations like 'take the lead', 'in the lead', and 'hold the lead'. It can be followed by 'over' to specify the competitor.
Pitfall
The signs leaded us to the exit.
The signs led us to the exit.
The past tense of the verb 'lead' is 'led', not 'leaded'.
Real-World Examples
“McNulty visibly began to tire on the final climb and his lead was cut to just 10 seconds, but the chasing pack were unable to reel him in.” “Two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz narrowly avoided back-to-back singles defeats for the first time in 18 months as Team Europe took a 7-5 lead over Team World at the Laver Cup.” “Mas limits losses to Roglic and has 1min 37sec lead” Etymology
From Middle English led and leed, from Old English lēad, from Proto-West Germanic \laud, possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic \ɸloudom and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European \plewd- meaning "to flow". The word is a doublet of loth*.
Cognates include Scots leid and lede, North Frisian lud and luad, West Frisian lead, Dutch lood, Irish luaidhe, Latin plumbum, and Finnish luoti. Several continental Germanic forms shifted from the metal to weights and solder: Low German Lod, German Lot, Swedish lod, and Icelandic lóð carry senses of solder, plummet, or sounding line.
Graphite was once believed to be a form of lead; compare black lead and plumbago.
From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan ("to lead"), from Proto-West Germanic \laidijan, from Proto-Germanic \laidijaną ("to cause one to go, lead"), a causative of Proto-Germanic \līþaną ("to go"), from Proto-Indo-European \leyt- ("to leave, die"). Cognate with West Frisian liede, Dutch leiden, German leiten, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede, Norwegian Nynorsk leia, and Swedish leda. Related to Old English līþan ("to go, travel").
From the verb lead (present /liːd/, past /lɛd/), by analogy with read (/riːd/ present, /rɛd/ past), whose single spelling disguises the same vowel alternation. The confusion was perhaps invited by this parallel: both verbs had long carried distinct pronunciations for present and past, yet read kept one spelling where lead had briefly had two. The obsolete forms red and redd for read show the same pressure in reverse — a spelling that tried, and failed, to mark the distinction lead would later resolve by convention rather than by rule.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
02. get the lead out
03. lead by the nose
04. lead foot
05. lead nowhere
06. lead on
08. lead someone up the garden path
09. lead the line
10. lead time
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/lead
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0