All Definitions for Lead
Below are all the dictionary definitions of lead:
1A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished
2Both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).
3A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or (dated) to estimate velocity in knots.
4A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
5Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
6Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
7A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
8A thin cylinder of graphite used in pencils.
9Bullets
10Ammunition.
11X-ray protective clothing lined with lead.
12To cover, fill, or affect with lead.
13To guide or conduct.
14To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection.
15To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known
16To show the way, especially by going with or going in advance of
17To guide somebody somewhere or to bring somebody somewhere by means of instructions.
18: To direct
19To counsel
20To instruct.
21To conduct or direct with authority
22To have direction or charge of
23To command, especially a military or business unit.
24To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad
25To prevail on
26To induce
27To entice
28To allure.
29To influence towards a belief, a conclusion, etc.
30To guide or conduct, as by accompanying, going before, showing, influencing, directing with authority, etc.
31To have precedence or preeminence
32To be first or chief
33— used in most of the senses of the transitive verb.
34To begin, to be ahead.
35To go or to be in advance of
36To precede
37Hence, to be foremost or chief among.
38To proceed in front of others
39To go first.
40To be more advanced in technology or business than others.
41(transitive, card games, dominoes) To begin a game, round, or trick, with
42(intransitive) To be ahead of others, e.g., in a race.
43(intransitive) To have the highest interim score in a game.
44(baseball) To step off base and move towards the next base.
45(shooting) To aim in front of a moving target, in order that the shot may hit the target as it passes.
46(transitive, climbing) To lead climb.
47To tend or reach in a certain spatial direction, or to a certain place.
48To be a cause of. [with to]
49To live or experience (a particular way of life).
50Used in phrasal verbs: lead off, lead on, lead out, lead to (“be the cause of, bring about”), lead up, lead up to.
51The act of leading or conducting
52Guidance
53Direction, course
54Precedence
55Ance position
56Also, the measure of precedence
57The state of being ahead in a race
58The highest score in an incomplete game.
59An insulated metallic wire for electrical devices and equipment.
60The situation where a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown.
61The act or right of playing first in a game or round
62The card suit, or piece, so played
63The main role in a play or film
64The lead role.
65The actor who plays the main role
66Lead actor.
67The person in charge of a project or a work shift etc.
68A channel of open water in an ice field.
69A lode.
70The course of a rope from end to end.
71A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal
72A leash
73In a steam engine, the width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke.
74The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
75The action of a tooth, such as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.
76Hypothesis that has not been pursued
77Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident.
78Potential opportunity for a sale or transaction, a potential customer.
79Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details.
80The player who throws the first two rocks for a team.
81The introductory paragraph or paragraphs of a newspaper, or a news or other type of article. (Sometimes spelled as lede for this usage to avoid ambiguity.)
82An important news story that appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the beginning of a news broadcast
83The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.
84In a barbershop quartet, the person who sings the melody, usually the second tenor.
85The announcement by one voice part of a theme to be repeated by the other parts.
86A mark or a short passage in one voice part, as of a canon, serving as a cue for the entrance of others.
87A primary synth, often composed of square, sawtooth, triangle or sine waveforms.
88The excess above a right angle in the angle between two consecutive cranks, as of a compound engine, on the same shaft.
89The angle between the line joining the brushes of a continuous-current dynamo and the diameter symmetrical between the poles.
90The advance of the current phase in an alternating circuit beyond that of the electromotive force producing it.
91Foremost.
92Main, principal, primary, first, chief, foremost.
93To place leads between the lines of.
94A city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States.
95A civil parish in North Yorkshire, England.
96Misspelling of led.
About synonyms for lead
Finding the right synonym for lead helps writers avoid repetition and add precision to their work. Defined as "A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished", lead has 11 alternatives that can fit different contexts and tones.
Each synonym carries a slightly different shade of meaning. Pb is the most direct replacement in most situations. Head works well in formal or professional contexts. Direct is often preferred when the context calls for a more specific or nuanced expression.
When choosing a synonym, consider the connotation, formality level, and audience. Some alternatives work better in casual conversation while others shine in academic or professional writing. For example, using a more formal synonym in a business email can elevate your tone, while a casual synonym might feel more natural in creative writing or dialogue.
It is also worth noting that not all synonyms are perfectly interchangeable. The context of your sentence, the surrounding words, and the intended emotional impact all play a role in selecting the best alternative. The list above provides the most common and useful replacements for lead, but always read your sentence aloud to ensure the chosen word flows naturally.