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What is Lead to in English? Synonyms of Lead to in English

Lead to is one of the most common phrases in English. However, without fully understanding how to use it and its definition, many use it incorrectly and confuse it with some synonyms. Today, let's explore the usage of Lead to in English with PREP in detail!

I. What is Lead to in English?

What is Lead? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Lead is pronounced as /liːd/ and functions as both a verb and a noun.

As a verb, Lead means: to be in control of something, to have something as a result, etc. For example: I think we've chosen the right person to lead the expedition.
As a noun, Lead means: victory, the first place in a match, or competition. For example: After last night’s win Johnson has taken over the lead in the championship table.

Lead to is a phrasal verb in English, meaning: to result in something, to have something as a consequence. For example:

Her investigations ultimately led to the discovery of the missing documents.
His volunteer work in the hospital led to a career in nursing.

II. How to use Lead to in English

Let’s explore the two most common ways to use Lead to in English below. Read now!

How to use Lead to in English	Meaning	Example
S + lead to + something	to have something as a result	The heavy rainfall can lead to flooding in low-lying areas.
S + lead somebody to something	to guide someone to do something.	The teacher leads the students to a deeper understanding of the subject.

III. Synonyms of Lead to in English

PREP has collected and summarized synonyms of Lead to in English, check it out!

Synonyms	Meaning	Example
Cause /kɑːz/	to make something happen, especially something bad	Firefighters determined that a campfire spark caused the wildfire.
result in /rɪˈzʌlt ɪn/	to cause a particular situation to happen	The fire resulted in damage to their house.
Bring about /brɪŋ əˈbout/	to cause something to happen	Many illnesses are brought about by poor diet and lack of exercise.
Breed /briːd/	to cause something to happen, usually something bad	Favoritism breeds resentment.
Spark /spɑːrk/	to cause the start of something, especially an argument or fighting	Her theories have sparked a great deal of debate.
Make /meɪk/	to cause something	The heat is making me tired.
Arouse /əˈraʊz/	to cause someone to have a particular feeling	It’s a subject that has aroused a lot of interest.
Trigger /ˈtrɪɡ.ɚ/	to cause something to start	Some people find that certain foods trigger their headaches.
be responsible for /biː rɪˈspɑːn.sə.bəl fər/	to make something happen, especially something bad	Last month’s bad weather was responsible for the crop failure.

IV. Distinguishing between Lead to and Contribute to

Similarities: Both Lead to and Contribute to are used to express the relationship between events or the impact of an object or behavior on the final result. However, they have some important differences in meaning and usage.

Differences:

Differences

Lead to

Contribute to

Usage

Lead to often expresses a cause-effect relationship between one or more events or actions. It emphasizes a direct impact that causes a specific consequence or a typical change.

Contribute to often expresses a contributory relationship of a factor or multiple factors to a final result. It focuses on the contribution, not necessarily the sole impact.

Example

Smoking can lead to lung cancer.

➞ This means smoking directly causes lung cancer.

Poor diet and lack of exercise contribute to obesity.

➞ This means poor diet and lack of exercise both contribute to obesity.

V. Exercises on Lead to in English with answers

Below are two exercises to help consolidate your knowledge about Lead to in English. Check it out!

1. Exercises

Write the correct form of Lead to in English into the blanks:

The heavy rain ____________ flooding in the city last night.
His irresponsible behavior at work ____________ his dismissal.
Smoking and poor diet ____________ various health problems
The scientist’s research breakthrough ____________ significant advancements in the field of medicine.
Lack of communication can ____________ misunderstandings in a relationship.

2. Answer

led to
led to
lead to
led to
lead to

In this article, PREP has provided you with all the relevant information about Lead to in English. PREP hopes that after referring to the knowledge in this article, you have understood the meaning of Lead to in English. Let’s follow PREP to learn helpful English knowledge! By delving into the nuances of commonly used phrases like Lead to, PREP aims to equip you with a deeper understanding of English grammar and usage.

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.