lead-up

1 of 2

noun

: something that leads up to or prepares the way for something else

lead up

2 of 2

verb

led up; leading up; leads up

intransitive verb

1
: to prepare the way
2
: to make a gradual or indirect approach to a topic

Examples of lead-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The lead-up to his next start against the Braves in the wild-card series was particularly rough. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025 The comparisons first started cropping up this week during the lead-up to the two Canadian stars’ new collaborative LP, which dropped Friday (Feb. 14). Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Read: Trump’s pardons are sending a crystal-clear message In the days leading up to his ignominious departure, Nixon hatched a very Nixonian plot to exploit Ford’s goodwill and naivete. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025 In the days leading up to this year's Super Bowl, only two brands rolled out car commercials -- Jeep and Ram, both owned by Stellantis NV. Kyle Stock and Brian Kahn Bloomberg News (wpns), arkansasonline.com, 11 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for lead-up 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1942, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lead-up was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near lead-up

Cite this Entry

“Lead-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lead-up. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

lead up

verb
: to make a gradual approach to a topic
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!