as in tempting
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 leading on
That’s what leading on the ground looks like.
—
Raja Walia, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
Raja Walia, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Ramps leading on and off the interstate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading on
Verb
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Pricing must stay fair enough for casual fans yet tempting enough for collectors.—
Dmitrii Khasanov,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Our moments of uncanny convergence—like bumping into an old flame at the exact right (or wrong) time—function like indulgences did in the days of Martin Luther, tempting us in the promise of paradise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Pratt’s operation involved luring women into pornography through deceit and coercion, with the content later shared online, according to prosecutors.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
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Nepal The climbing capital of the world, Nepal has been luring mountaineers for decades, including up the busy South Col route to the summit of Mount Everest.—
Katie Lockhart,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But after Davina publicly accuses Julia mid-labor of seducing Lord Lovat, the group of women suddenly turn on Julia, yelling at her to repent her sins and repeatedly questioning her about the paternity of her child.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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The drama follows Veneno (played by non-pro Víctor Miguel), a headstrong young drifter who survives by seducing truck drivers at 24-hour roadside diners called cachimbas.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For many owners, the nightly ritual of persuading a pet to leave the bed is an ongoing negotiation—one that frequently ends with the animal winning.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The network seemed to have trouble persuading actual stars to perform.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leading on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading%20on. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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