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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lead on
Verb
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After Tatis fouled off the next pitch, Flaherty did what a lot of pitchers will do to Tatis and tempted him with a slider that broke low and outside the zone.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026 -
Today, when architecture often seems tempted to retreat in the face of cascading crises, Gehry’s career suggests a different response.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The cab’s dark interior seems to lure Rauschenberg in, but perhaps he was also drawn to the small round window, like a porthole, above the seat, which looks out at the distance behind the carriage.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
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Wildlife officials attempted to lure the bear out using bait, lights and noise, but the animal continued returning to the space.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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Tommy disburses stuffings and sauces to hungry locals as the GIs seduced their grandmothers with Camels and nylon stockings.—
Dominic Green,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Whale lusts after a hunky gardener (Brendan Fraser) and persuades him to pose for a few sketches; Julian, though bisexual, expresses no such interest in Lori, and any art-making turns out to be a gratifyingly mutual endeavor.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.—
April 2,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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The synopsis, just like the film's title, fails to prepare viewers for the level of chaos the film brings, which Matarazzo says enticed him.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lead on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lead%20on. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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