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When to Use Lead or Led
There is some persistent confusion about lead and led. Or, we should say, there is confusion about the leads and led. Lead is both a noun and a verb, as most people know. There are several unrelated nouns spelled lead: one most commonly refers to a metal (as in, "The paint was made with lead"), and the other most commonly refers to a position of advantage (as in, "Our team was in the lead"). The verb lead is pronounced /LEED/, with a long e; the noun that refers to a position or advantage is also pronounced /LEED/, with a long e; the noun that refers to the metal, however, is pronounced /LED/, with a short e. To this moderately convoluted situation, add the past tense and past participle of the verb lead, which is led and pronounced like the metal noun lead with a short e. The homophonic confusion leads to homographic confusion, and you will therefore occasionally see lead in constructions where led is called for (as in, “She lead the ducklings to safety” instead of “She led the ducklings to safety”). The correct past and past participle of lead is spelled led. If you aren’t sure whether to use led or lead as the verb in your sentence, try reading it aloud to yourself. If the verb is pronounced /LED/, use led.
Examples of led in a Sentence
Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 27 May 2025
Goldschmidt collaborated with props and the lighting department to build LED prop flares that would color match the practical flares placed in the set.
—Daron James, IndieWire, 27 May 2025
Starting at $398 for a 55-inch model, walmart.com Philips A19 LED Smart Color-Changing Light Bulb
The Phillips A19 LED bulb is reasonably priced and has a range of colors perfect for any mood.
—Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 24 May 2025
To offer their clients maximum filming comfort and options all year round, Forma Pro Films has also built post-COVID its own infrastructure, one of Europe’s largest LED Unit studios.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for led
Cite this Entry
“Led.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/led. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
led
1 of 2past and past participle of lead
LED
2 of 2 nounNoun
light-emitting diode
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