lead-up

[ leed-uhp ]

noun

1. something that provides an approach to or preparation for an event or situation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lead-up¹

1950–55; noun use of verb phrase lead up ( to )

Example Sentences

Although America’s CEOs and financiers largely condemned Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021, they all but made peace with his political return this year—tempering their onetime critiques of the candidate and the GOP, hedging their bets in the lead-up to Election Day, forbidding their media apparatuses from endorsing Kamala Harris, and lining up to kiss the ring soon after Trump’s win became clear.

From Slate

In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts related to hush money payments he made in the lead-up to the 2016 election.

From Slate

In her search for answers, Swiatek decided to change coaches and replaced Tomasz Wiktorowski with Wim Fissette in the lead-up to the WTA Finals.

From BBC

On X, where billionaire owner Elon Musk spent the lead-up to Nov. 5 amplifying conspiracy theories, talk of “election integrity” — from him and other rank-and-file deniers — evaporated as results came in.

From Salon

In the lead-up to the election, the Federal Bureau of Investigation singled out Russia as the “most active” foreign threat, noting that Moscow was conducting influence operations with the goal of undermining confidence among Americans in the integrity of our elections.

From Los Angeles Times