Question 1

What does "lead up to" mean?

Accepted Answer

Of events: to happen in the period before a significant moment and contribute to it.

Question 2

How do you use "lead up to" in a sentence?

Accepted Answer

Tensions had been rising in the months leading up to the outbreak of the conflict.

Question 3

Is "lead up to" formal or informal?

Accepted Answer

"lead up to" is register-neutral — appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. Used to describe the period before an event ('in the weeks leading up to the election') or the act of approaching a topic gently or indirectly before saying the main point ('What are you leading up to?'). Very common in both written and spoken English.

lead up to

関連フレーズ

"up to" を含むフレーズ