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Meaning & use

leading someone on

phrase·Everydaydisapproving

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UK/ˈliːdɪŋ ˈsʌmwʌn ɒn/
US/ˈliːdɪŋ ˈsʌmwʌn ɑːn/

“leading someone on” is a form of “lead someone on”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meanings

  1. phrasephrasal verbdisapproving

    Making someone believe, falsely, that you share their romantic interest or will give them what they hope for.

    Grammar: Takes an object between the verb and on: she was leading him on.

    Patterns

    • lead someone on
    • stop leading someone on

    He felt she was leading him on when she kept hinting at a second date.

    Don't keep leading her on if you do not want a relationship.

    She accused him of leading her on for months.

  2. phrasephrasal verbdisapproving

    Encouraging someone to keep going or hoping, such as in a job or deal, when you know the result will not come.

    Grammar: Takes an object: they were leading the applicants on.

    Patterns

    • lead someone on about something

    The manager was leading the interns on by hinting at full-time jobs.

    The salesman kept leading the buyer on with promises of a discount.

    They were leading us on, since the funding had already been cancelled.

Word forms

base verblead someone on
third person singularleads someone on
past tenseled someone on

Common combinations

accuse someone of leading them on
She accused him of leading her on.
stop leading someone on
It is time you stopped leading him on.
feel led on
He felt led on after months of mixed signals.
lead someone on for months
She led him on for months before admitting the truth.
not mean to lead someone on
I did not mean to lead you on.

Synonyms and how they differ

stringing along
Stringing along is almost the same but is more informal and suggests a longer period of deliberate deceit.
deceiving
Deceiving is broader and can be about anything, whereas leading on is specifically about raising false hopes.
flirting
Flirting can be harmless and honest, while leading on is always misleading.
misleading
Misleading can be accidental, but leading someone on suggests the person knows what they are doing.

Opposites

being honestlevelling with

Word family

lead on phrasal verb
to go ahead and guide, or to mislead
leader noun
a person who guides others
misleading adjective
giving the wrong impression
led on adjective
made to hope falsely

Commonly confused: leading someone on or lead on (go ahead)?

leading someone on vs lead on (go ahead)

Lead on, as in Lead on, I will follow, means to go first and show the way, with no deceit involved.

Practice

Tom realized his coworker was ______ when she kept implying a promotion that never came.

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