lead-up
lead-up — noun
1. The time, events, or actions that happen just before an important occasion and h
The time, events, or actions that happen just before an important occasion and help to shape what follows.
In the lead-up to the election, both candidates held town hall meetings across the state.
the lead-up to [event]
The team's poor results in the lead-up to the tournament worried Coach Okafor.
possessive: team's lead-up
There was nervous excitement in the lead-up to the wedding ceremony at the garden venue.
During the lead-up to the product launch, the marketing team tested seventeen different ad designs.
The lead-up to the peace agreement involved months of secret meetings between the two leaders.
- run-up
more common in British English; interchangeable with lead-up for the period before an event
- build-up
emphasises the increasing intensity or preparation; can also refer to gradual accumulation of something
- prelude
more formal and literary; suggests a brief introductory event rather than an extended period
- aftermath
the period following an event, in contrast to the period before it
文法句型
the lead-up to [event]
用法筆記
Typically used in the singular with the definite article, followed by 'to' + noun phrase naming the main event.
常見錯誤
lead-up — phrasal verb
1. A period of time or a chain of events that happens just before an important occa
A period of time or a chain of events that happens just before an important occasion and builds toward it.
The six weeks leading up to the exam were filled with late-night study sessions for Mei-Lin.
present participle: leading up to
The negotiations that led up to the trade deal took nearly eight months of back-and-forth discussions.
The minor clashes that led up to the conflict were mostly ignored by the international news media.
The events leading up to the mayor's resignation were investigated by a special committee of the city council.
Every year in the days leading up to the festival, the Watanabe family prepares traditional rice cakes.
- precede
more formal and neutral; simply means 'come before' without the implication of building toward something
- build up to
emphasises gradual increase in intensity or activity toward a climax
文法句型
[period/events] + lead up to + [event]
用法筆記
Always transitive and inseparable — the object follows 'to' directly. Cannot be used in passive voice ('the exam was led up to' is incorrect).
常見錯誤
2. To gradually move a conversation toward a particular subject, especially when th
To gradually move a conversation toward a particular subject, especially when the subject is delicate, awkward, or difficult to mention directly.
Javier kept talking about the rising cost of living before slowly leading up to the question of a pay rise.
lead up to + question of [topic]
Amara could tell her flatmate was leading up to something when she started praising her cooking skills.
Theo led up to the bad news by first asking how his parents were coping with the cold weather.
Instead of asking directly, Siti led up to the topic by mentioning how quiet the office had been lately.
The manager led up to the layoff announcement by discussing the company's financial struggles for the past quarter.
- build up to
interchangeable in this conversational sense, often with the added nuance of emotional preparation
- broach
more formal and direct; 'broach a topic' means to bring it up rather than circle toward it
- approach
can overlap, but 'approach a subject' is broader and does not always imply indirectness
- blurt out
to say something suddenly and directly, the opposite of gradually leading toward it
文法句型
lead up to + [topic/question/subject]
用法筆記
The object is typically a topic, question, or piece of news that the speaker expects to be unwelcome, surprising, or emotionally charged for the listener.
常見錯誤
lead-up — verb
1. To create the necessary conditions or groundwork that make a later development o
To create the necessary conditions or groundwork that make a later development or achievement possible.
The early laboratory experiments led up to a major breakthrough in vaccine research at the university.
led up to + breakthrough / result
Years of community organising led up to the policy change that residents had been demanding for a decade.
Her three gold medals at national meets led up to her first appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The protest marches across several cities led up to the new labour law that improved safety conditions in factories.
- pave the way for
more idiomatic and explicit about preparation; slightly more common in formal writing
- set the stage for
metaphorical; suggests arranging conditions for a scene to unfold
- lay the groundwork for
emphasises foundational planning or preparation
- undermine
to weaken or damage conditions, the opposite of building them up
文法句型
[action/event] + lead(s) up + to + [result]
用法筆記
Distinguish from the phrasal verb 'lead up to' (HAPPEN BEFORE): this verb sense focuses on causation and preparation, not sequence alone. The subject is an action or event that actively creates conditions for the outcome.
常見錯誤
2. Of facts, events, or a situation: to gradually direct attention or discussion to
Of facts, events, or a situation: to gradually direct attention or discussion toward a particular topic or conclusion in a way that feels natural or inevitable.
The growing number of customer complaints about the software led up to a tense discussion at the board meeting.
inanimate subject: complaints led up to discussion
Each clue that the detective found led up to the same suspect in the apartment building.
The strange pattern of injuries at the factory over six months led up to a formal investigation by the safety board.
The details in the annual financial report led up to one conclusion — the company needed new investors to stay open.
- point toward
more common with conclusions than topics; 'the evidence points toward the same conclusion'
- build toward
emphasises gradual accumulation; 'the tensions built toward a confrontation'
文法句型
[situation/events/facts] + lead up to + [topic/conclusion]
用法筆記
Distinguish from the phrasal verb 'lead up to' (APPROACH TOPIC): the phrasal verb requires a person who deliberately steers a conversation toward a subject using speech. This verb sense takes an inanimate subject — a situation, accumulating evidence, or chain of events — that naturally draws attention toward a topic or conclusion without anyone's intentional steering.