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Another word for lead

a-z
Verb

  1. To show the way to

      1. One who is employed to escort people to their seats, as in a theater, church, or stadium.
      2. A man who attends a bridal party at a wedding.
      3. One who serves as official doorkeeper, as in a courtroom or legislative chamber.
      1. To guide (a vessel or vehicle), especially by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or wheel:
      2. To set and follow (a course):
      3. To direct the course of:
      1. To cause or allow to be seen; display:
      2. To display for sale, in exhibition, or in competition:
      3. To permit access to (a house, for example) when offering for sale or rent.
      1. One who herds, guards, and tends sheep.
      2. One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher.
      3. A German shepherd.
      1. A road, course, or way for travel from one place to another:
      2. A highway:
      3. A fixed course or territory assigned to a salesperson or delivery person.
      1. One who operates or is licensed to operate an aircraft in flight.
      2. One who, though not belonging to a ship's company, is licensed to conduct a ship into and out of port or through dangerous waters.
      3. The helmsman of a ship.
      1. One who shows the way by leading, directing, or advising.
      2. One who serves as a model for others, as in a course of conduct.
      3. A person employed to conduct others, as through a museum, and give information about points of interest encountered.
      1. One or more persons accompanying another to guide, protect, or show honor.
      2. A man who is the companion of a woman, especially on a social occasion.
      3. A person, often a prostitute, who is hired to spend time with another as a companion.
      1. To manage or regulate the business or affairs of; be in charge of:
      2. To supervise or oversee (an activity or process):
      3. To give guidance and instruction to (actors or musicians, for example) in the rehearsal and performance of a work.
      1. To direct the course of; manage or control:
      2. To lead or guide:
      3. To direct the performance of (an orchestra or chorus, for example).
    See also:

    show

  2. To proceed on a certain course or for a certain distance

      1. To lengthen, widen, or distend:
      2. To cause to extend from one place to another or across a given space:
      3. To make taut; tighten:
      1. To move swiftly on foot so that both or all feet are not on the ground during each stride.
      2. To retreat rapidly; flee:
      3. To depart; leave:
      1. To stretch out or put forth (a body part); extend:
      2. To touch or grasp by stretching out or extending:
      3. To arrive at; attain:
      1. To move or travel; proceed:
      2. To move away from a place; depart:
      3. To pursue a certain course:
      1. To cause (something) to be longer, wider, or cover more area:
      2. To enlarge the scope or effect of:
      3. To cause (something) to last longer:
      1. To hold or support while moving; bear:
      2. To move or take from one place to another; transport:
      3. To escort or accompany.
    See also:

    reach

  3. To have authoritative charge of

      1. To direct with authority; give orders to.
      2. To have control or authority over; rule:
      3. To have at one's disposal:
      1. The officer in command of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.
      2. A precinct commander in a police or fire department, usually ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief.
      3. The designated leader of a team or crew in sports.
    See also:

    precede

  4. To go through (life) in a certain way

    See also:

    be

  5. To begin (something) with preliminary or prefatory material

    See also:

    words

    start

Noun

  1. Something or someone that shows the way

      1. One who is employed to escort people to their seats, as in a theater, church, or stadium.
      2. A man who attends a bridal party at a wedding.
      3. One who serves as official doorkeeper, as in a courtroom or legislative chamber.
      1. One who herds, guards, and tends sheep.
      2. One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher.
      3. A German shepherd.
      1. One who operates or is licensed to operate an aircraft in flight.
      2. One who, though not belonging to a ship's company, is licensed to conduct a ship into and out of port or through dangerous waters.
      3. The helmsman of a ship.
      1. One that leads or guides.
      2. One who is in charge or in command of others.
      3. One who heads a political party or organization.
      1. One who shows the way by leading, directing, or advising.
      2. One who serves as a model for others, as in a course of conduct.
      3. A person employed to conduct others, as through a museum, and give information about points of interest encountered.
      1. One or more persons accompanying another to guide, protect, or show honor.
      2. A man who is the companion of a woman, especially on a social occasion.
      3. A person, often a prostitute, who is hired to spend time with another as a companion.
      1. One that supervises, controls, or manages.
      2. A member of a group of persons chosen to control or govern the affairs of an institution or corporation.
      3. A person who supervises the creative aspects of a dramatic production or film and instructs the actors and crew.
      1. One who is in charge of a railroad train, bus, or streetcar.
      2. One who directs an orchestra or other such group.
      3. A substance or medium that conducts heat, light, sound, or especially an electric charge.
    See also:

    show

  2. A piece of information useful in a search

    See also:

    show

  3. An act or instance of guiding

      1. The act, manner, or practice of managing; handling, supervision, or control:
      2. The person or persons who control or direct a business or other enterprise.
      3. Skill in managing; executive ability.
      1. The position or office of a leader:
      2. Capacity or ability to lead:
      3. A group of leaders:
      1. The act or process of guiding.
      2. Counseling, such as that provided for students seeking advice about vocational and educational matters.
      3. Any of various processes for guiding the path of a vehicle or missile, by means of built-in equipment.
      1. The management, supervision, or guidance of a group or operation:
      2. The art or action of directing a musical or theatrical production.
      3. An authoritative order or command:
    See also:

    affect

  4. The capacity to lead others

    See also:

    precede

  5. The main performer in a theatrical production

      1. A celestial body that generates light and other radiant energy and consists of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity in which the energy generated by nuclear reactions in the interior is balanced by the outflow of energy to the surface, and the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the outward-directed gas and radiation pressures.
      2. Any of the celestial bodies visible at night from Earth as relatively stationary, usually twinkling points of light.
      3. Something regarded as resembling such a celestial body.
      1. The main character in a drama or other literary work.
      2. In ancient Greek drama, the first actor to engage in dialogue with the chorus, in later dramas playing the main character and some minor characters as well.
      3. A leading or principal figure.
      1. First or highest in rank or importance.
      2. Of, relating to, or being financial principal, or a principal in a financial transaction.
      3. One who holds a position of presiding rank, especially the head of an elementary school, middle school, or high school.
    See also:

    performing-arts

  6. A prominent article in a periodical

      1. One that leads or guides.
      2. One who is in charge or in command of others.
      3. One who heads a political party or organization.
      1. Any of the distinct parts of the face, as the eyes, nose, or mouth.
      2. The overall appearance of the face or its parts.
      3. A prominent or distinctive part, quality, or characteristic:
    See also:

    words

Idioms:

    lead off

  1. To go about the initial step in doing (something)

    2. lead to

  2. To be the cause of

© Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Another word for lead

Modifier
      1. More prominent or important than others, especially in position or rank:
      2. First in physical position or place:
      3. Above all else; most importantly:
      1. The uppermost or forwardmost part of the body of a vertebrate, containing the brain and the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and jaws.
      2. The analogous part of an invertebrate organism.
      3. The length or height of such a part:
      1. Having a position in the lead; foremost:
      2. Chief; principal:
      3. Of or performing a lead in a theatrical production:
    See also:

    principal

    first

    best

Noun

  1. The position at the front

    See also:

    vanguard

    front

    Antonyms:

  2. Leadership

      1. The position or office of a head or leader; primacy or command.
      2. The position of a headmaster or headmistress.
      1. The act or process of guiding.
      2. Counseling, such as that provided for students seeking advice about vocational and educational matters.
      3. Any of various processes for guiding the path of a vehicle or missile, by means of built-in equipment.
      1. The management, supervision, or guidance of a group or operation:
      2. The art or action of directing a musical or theatrical production.
      3. An authoritative order or command:
    See also:

    leadership

    administration

  3. A clue

      1. A slight indication or intimation:
      2. A brief or indirect suggestion; a tip:
      3. A statement conveying information in an indirect fashion; a clue:
      1. A visible mark, such as a footprint, made or left by the passage of a person, animal, or thing.
      2. Evidence or an indication of the former presence or existence of something; a vestige:
      3. An extremely small amount or barely perceivable indication:
      1. A thing or set of things helpful in forming a conclusion or judgment:
      2. Something indicative; an indication or set of indications:
      3. The means by which an allegation may be proven, such as oral testimony, documents, or physical objects.
    See also:

    sign

    proof

  4. A leading performer

      1. A celestial body that generates light and other radiant energy and consists of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity in which the energy generated by nuclear reactions in the interior is balanced by the outflow of energy to the surface, and the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the outward-directed gas and radiation pressures.
      2. Any of the celestial bodies visible at night from Earth as relatively stationary, usually twinkling points of light.
      3. Something regarded as resembling such a celestial body.
      1. The leading woman soloist in an opera company.
      2. A temperamental, conceited person.
      1. An operatic prima donna.
      2. A very successful singer of nonoperatic music:
      3. One who demands that attention be paid to his or her needs, especially without regard to anyone else's needs or feelings.
    See also:

    actress

    actor

  5. A leading role

    See also:

    role

  6. See also:

    metal

    element

Verb

  1. To conduct

    See also:

    manage

    Antonyms:

  2. To exercise leadership

      1. To manage and direct; be in charge of:
      1. To have charge of; direct or administer:
      2. To exert control over; regulate or limit toward a desired end:
      3. To direct or supervise (employees or other staff):
      1. To manage or regulate the business or affairs of; be in charge of:
      2. To supervise or oversee (an activity or process):
      3. To give guidance and instruction to (actors or musicians, for example) in the rehearsal and performance of a work.
    See also:

    manage

    command

  3. To influence

    See also:

    motivate

    influence

  4. To play a first card

    See also:

    begin

  5. To extend

    See also:

    reach

© WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD® ROGET’S A-Z THESAURUS by Charlton Laird and the editors of Webster’s New World dictionaries. Copyright © 1999 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Sentence Examples

  • "Lead the way, Romeo," she said dryly.

  • He's sought out anyone he thinks might lead him in the right direction.

  • He's singing like the choir lead at a church revival.

  • Slipping her hand through his extended elbow, she let him lead her into the center of the room.

  • Friends tried to discourage this tendency, fearing lest it would lead to disappointment.

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Words that mention lead in the Dictionary

Words near lead in the Thesaurus