lead up to
Third Person
leads up to
Present Participle
leading up to
Past Tense
led up to
Past Participle
led up to
1
to come before and play a part in causing a particular result or event
- The negotiations led up to the signing of the historic peace treaty.
- The years of training and experience have led up to her success in the competition.
- The series of challenging exams led up to the students' final graduation assessments
Synonyms:
2
to happen before a specific event or situation
- The years leading up to the war were marked by tension and conflict.
- The days leading up to the exam were filled with stress and anxiety.
- The suspenseful music in the movie led up to the unexpected plot twist.
3
to gently introduce a specific topic into a conversation over a period of time
- With cautious words, she led up to the awkward topic of the failed project during the team meeting.
- The counselor skillfully led up to discussing the challenging family situation with the concerned teenager.
- The speaker slowly led up to the sensitive issue of mental health in a manner that fostered open discussion.