LEADS Synonyms: 206 Similar and Opposite Words

leads 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lead

as in steers

to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front an enthusiastic docent led our group through the art museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in commands

to serve as leader of a senior programmer is leading the team that is developing the new accounting software

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in accompanies

to be at the front of the local high school's marching band led the parade

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in extends

to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction this old road leads to an abandoned quarry

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as in guides

to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed the salesclerk led us through the maze of options now available to television buyers

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leads

2 of 2

noun

plural of lead

as in principals

the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show the actor's career has really taken off since he became the lead in that prime-time drama

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in distances

the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects the runner maintained a lead of several meters all the way around the track

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as in tips

a piece of advice or useful information especially from an expert my sister got a lead on the job opening from her neighbor, who is the human resources director for the company

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as in clues

a slight or indirect pointing to something (as a solution or explanation) the police are now working on several leads generated by the evidence gathered at the crime scene

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of leads

Verb

The Democrat leads Republican challenger Mike Collins in every major public poll, holds a massive fundraising advantage and is now trying to peel away GOP voters. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Unassuming in her affect and understated in her dress, with a shaggy blond bob, Marta greets me warmly and leads me from the basement parking area through an indoor landscape of light. — Gaby Wood, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 The 41-year-old Kushner, who leads venture capital firm Thrive Capital, would be controlling owner in his personal capacity if the multibillion-dollar deal gets the seal of approval from the NBA’s board of governors. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026 Measuring the number of appointments booked, leads converted or response time, for instance, provides more actionable insights than tracking AI use or prompting. — Ryan Johnson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Closer to Denver, Jefferson County leads the pack with 328 bear encounters so far this year, followed by Douglas County at 282, Boulder County at 186, Clear Creek County at 43, and Arapahoe County at 40. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2026 While there is no solid evidence that psychics can solve crimes, some law enforcement agencies use them when traditional leads run dry. — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026 Multiple rides depart daily, but Jacqui Taylor-Rose, who leads product development at the railway, recommends late-afternoon timings. — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026 Dallas improves to 3-2-2 on the road against Austin and leads the overall series 9-2-3 with a plus-nine goal differential. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Noun

Detectives are reviewing additional surveillance videos for more leads. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 The true test for the Mets in this NL East tilt was whether or not the replacement bullpen arms could hold slim leads. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 Seven of the 11 projects at Alliance 4 Development, Locarno’s platform for bigger projects, have young protagonists or as co-leads. — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026 Yes, Jaylen Brown is gone, but the Celtics owned the Heat in last season’s four-game series, even with the Heat several times pushing to considerable early leads. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 The film succeeds not only as an examination of the extraordinary quandary facing the couple but also simply as a compelling wartime drama featuring excellent performances from the two leads, who are, like most of the cast, non-professional actors. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 Cheryl SchererDiane Scherer-Morris In this case, refusing to stop means re-examining leads, reviewing evidence, and re-interviewing names from the box. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026 The results echo findings of other recent polls on the governor’s race showing Becerra with double-digit leads over Hilton. — John Woolfolk, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 To stop this, Canadian authorities have partnered with the ATF to use advanced tracing technology in hopes of generating leads, authorities said. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leads

Verb

Instead, Gruver steers people toward solid-wood accent tables, side chairs, and case goods such as dressers and buffets.

— Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026
When its waters warm in just the right places, the jet stream — the fast-moving river of air that steers storms — often shifts its path.

— Sarah Moore, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of steers

Verb

Alonso’s appointment marks the arrival of a coach who commands authority.

— George Edwards, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Unlike in the Senate, where Democratic votes can be necessary to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Jeffries commands a minority caucus in a chamber where Republicans can pass most legislation with a simple majority.

— Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of commands

Verb

That level of integration removes much of the guesswork that traditionally accompanies resin printing.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Resistance training is also key to preventing the muscle loss that accompanies weight loss from GLP-1 medications, aging and recovering from injury.

— Linda M. Boland, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of accompanies

Verb

The trend even extends into non-League, where a tournament consisting of 45-minute games, the A23 Cup, was scheduled to take place between Slough Town, Hayes and Yeading United and Marlow Town in July.

— George Edwards, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Tropical storms approaching Hawaii typically hit cooler ocean temperatures before reaching the islands, but Lala will remain over warmer waters due to an ongoing marine heatwave that extends to California and a developing Super El Niño.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of extends

Verb

How a colonoscopy actually works A doctor guides a long, flexible tube with a tiny video camera through the colon.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Works on view like Ken Stanley’s Picbreeder (2008/2020), Primavera De Filippi’s Plantoid (2014), and Dryhurst and Herndon’s Attention Guild (2026) feature a participatory element that guides the development of each piece’s form over time.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of guides

Noun

District leaders used them to rethink instruction, align classroom practice with system supports, build capacity among school supervisors and principals, and clarify what students should know and be able to do.

— Michael Casserly, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Next is educating parents, principals and school boards on the changes.

— Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of principals

Noun

Rainfall amounts will vary considerably because thunderstorms can produce very different totals over short distances.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
The mission also carries instruments from Egypt, Switzerland, Bahrain and Italy; the latter country’s instrument is a small laser retroreflector on the lander that can be used to precisely measure distances from orbiters to the lunar surface.

— Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of distances

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leads. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of leads

verb

noun

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