Lead on Meaning in English
expression
ˈɫɛd/, /ˈɫid/ /ˈɑn/, /ˈɔn
LED-on, LEED-on
lɛd/ /ˈɒn
LED-on
Definition
To make someone believe something that is not true, especially by pretending you have romantic interest or by giving false hope.
Usage & Nuances
Mostly informal, often refers to romantic situations ("lead someone on"). May also be used for false hope in general. Common collocations: 'lead her/him on'. Not to confuse with 'lead on' meaning 'proceed ahead' (rare).
Spanish: engañar - dar falsas esperanzasPortuguese (BR): iludir - enganarPortuguese (PT): iludir - enganarChinese (Simplified): 误导 - 给人虚假的希望Chinese (Traditional): 誤導 - 給人虛假的希望Hindi: गुमराह करना - झूठी उम्मीद दिलानाArabic: يُضلل - يَعِد بآمال كاذبةBengali: ভুল আশ্বাস দেওয়া - ভুলভ্রান্তিতে রাখাRussian: обнадёживать (ложно) - вводить в заблуждение (о чувствах)Japanese: その気にさせる - 期待を持たせるVietnamese: làm cho ai đó hy vọng hão - gieo hy vọng giảKorean: 희망고문하다 - 헛된 기대를 주다Turkish: boşa umut vermek - kandırmak (duygusal olarak)Urdu: جھوٹی امید دلانا - بہکانا (رومانوی انداز میں)Indonesian: membuat berharap palsu - memberikan harapan palsu
Example Sentences
Don't lead on your friend if you aren't interested.
basic
She felt hurt because he led her on without being serious.
basic
It hurts when someone leads you on and then ignores you.
basic
He kept texting her every day, but he was just leading her on.
natural
Don't lead on customers with promises you can't keep.
natural
I thought she liked me, but I guess she was just leading me on.
natural