take the lead
take the lead — idiom
1. to become the person or group that acts first in a situation, so that others fol
to become the person or group that acts first in a situation, so that others follow your example or direction
Lisa took the lead in organising the school's fundraising event.
take the lead in + gerund (organising)
The city of Porto took the lead on recycling programmes for local businesses.
take the lead on + noun phrase
During the hike, Tamar took the lead and guided the others along the mountain trail.
Rohan took the lead in the discussion by asking the first question.
The government took the lead by introducing new laws to protect wildlife.
- lead the way
more literal, often about physical movement; slightly less formal
- set the trend
specifically about fashion, style, or popular behaviour rather than general leadership
- pioneer
stronger, suggests being the very first to do something new; slightly more formal
- follow
to come after rather than go first
文法句型
take the lead in [activity/noun]
take the lead on [project]
用法筆記
Commonly followed by 'in' (an activity or area) or 'on' (a project or issue). The person or group that takes the lead is seen as setting an example for others.
常見錯誤
2. to move into first place in a race, election, or other competition, beating all
to move into first place in a race, election, or other competition, beating all other participants
With twenty metres to go, Felipe took the lead and won the race.
temporal clause + take the lead (physical race)
Hui's bakery took the lead in the competition for best bread in the region.
The underdog candidate took the lead in the polls just days before the election.
Camila's team took the lead in the second half and never looked back.
A small startup took the lead in developing new battery technology for electric cars.
- move ahead
more informal; describes the action of overtaking others
- get ahead
informal; can also mean making progress in a general sense
- forge ahead
more emphatic; suggests pushing forward with effort
- fall behind
to lose ground and drop to a lower position
文法句型
take the lead in [race/competition]
用法筆記
This sense is used specifically in competitive contexts — races, contests, elections, or any situation with clear winners and losers. Unlike sense 1, the emphasis is on beating others rather than setting an example.