LEAD ON Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

lead on

verb

Definition of lead on

as in to tempt

to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage a con man whose dupes are usually led on by their own greed and eagerness to turn an easy buck

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for lead on

Verb

Yet, C-suites are increasingly tempted (or worse, financially compelled) to govern purely by digital indicators.

— David Farbman, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Others, including Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who recently launched a crackdown on Venezuelan migrants in his country, will be tempted to stoke xenophobia to deflect blame for policy shortcomings.

— DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of tempt

Verb

The Sunday broadcast lured approximately 2 million viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 — the demographic most coveted by advertisers in news programming.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Eight months after pledging to attract more talent and capital to South Florida by luring world-class companies and universities to the region, two of the area’s wealthiest billionaires are putting that promise into action.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of lure

Verb

Artificial plays like a modern-day parable in which the trickster god seduces the innocent.

— E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Diaz centers music as the emotional vehicle that provides a philosophical structure for the character tropes and in turn psychologically seduces the audience to internalize certain ideas of social dynamics.

— Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of seduce

Verb

So far, Siemens has managed to persuade companies to share their data in return for access to its AI model and the ability to request new use cases.

— Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Peril at End House features Christie fan favorites like Arthur Hustings and Chief Inspector Japp and is set in Cornwall, where Poirot and Hastings meet a young woman who is persuaded that someone is out to kill her.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of persuade

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“Lead on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lead%20on. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lead on

verb

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