Phrase guide

lead astray

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To cause (someone) to believe an untruth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deceive, mislead, misinform, abuse, beglammer, counterfeit, dissemble, dissimulate, feign, jiff, lead astray, overreach, put on, spoof, sham, trick

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To misguide or misdirect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lead off, offlead, undirect

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To influence (someone) to have bad habits or to behave improperly or illegally.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: corrupt, demoralize, seduce, adulterate, debauch, detort, file, immoralize, lead astray, pervert, pollute, preposterate, sophisticate, suborn, subvert, tamper, unmoralize, vitiate, warp

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

cause someone to believe an untruth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The insurance company deceived me when they told me they were covering my house

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deceive, betray

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: misinform, mislead

Narrower terms: pose, impersonate, personate, bamboozle, snow, hoodwink, pull the wool over someone's eyes, lead by the nose, play false, gull, dupe, slang, befool, cod, fool, put on, take in, put one over, put one across

5

verb

Meaning 5

lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The pedestrian misdirected the out-of-town driver

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mislead, misdirect, misguide

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lead, take, direct, conduct, guide

6

verb

Meaning 6

teach immoral behavior to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • It was common practice to lead off the young ones, and teach them bad habits

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lead off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

45 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَضَلَّ (ʔaḍalla) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Finnish: johtaa harhaan — to cause to believe untruth
  • German: irreführen — to cause to believe untruth
  • German: in die Irre führen — to cause to believe untruth
  • German: irreleiten — to cause to believe untruth
  • German: in die Irre leiten — to cause to believe untruth
  • Ancient Greek: πλανάω (planáō) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Romanian: înșela — to cause to believe untruth
  • Russian: сбива́ть с пути́ (sbivátʹ s putí) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Russian: сбить с пути́ (sbitʹ s putí) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Russian: вводи́ть в заблужде́ние (vvodítʹ v zabluždénije) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Russian: ввести́ в заблужде́ние (vvestí v zabluždénije) — to cause to believe untruth
  • Spanish: casquear — to cause to believe untruth
  • Arabic: أَضَلَّ (ʔaḍalla) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Finnish: johtaa harhaan — to misguide or misdirect
  • French: induire en erreur — to misguide or misdirect
  • German: auf Abwege führen — to misguide or misdirect
  • German: auf Abwege bringen — to misguide or misdirect
  • Greek: παρασύρω (parasýro) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Greek: ξελογιάζω (xelogiázo) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Ancient Greek: ἀποβουκολέω (apoboukoléō) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Ladino: desviar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Ladino: trazyerrar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Latin: sēdūcō — to misguide or misdirect
  • Māori: ngungu — to misguide or misdirect
  • Māori: whakapōhēhē — to misguide or misdirect
  • Middle English: mysleden — to misguide or misdirect
  • Punjabi: ਪੁੱਟਣਾ (puṭṭaṇā) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Russian: сбива́ть с пути́ (sbivátʹ s putí) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Russian: сбить с пути́ (sbitʹ s putí) — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: descaminar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: desencaminar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: desvirtuar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: descarriar — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: llevar por el mal camino — to misguide or misdirect
  • Spanish: inducir a error — to misguide or misdirect
  • German: verleiten — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Ancient Greek: ἀποβουκολέω (apoboukoléō) — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Latin: sēdūcō — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Māori: whakakonuka — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Māori: ngungu — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Middle English: mysleden — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Polish: sprowadzać na manowce — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Polish: sprowadzić na manowce — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow
  • Punjabi: ਪੁੱਟਣਾ (puṭṭaṇā) — to influence or to lead someone into bad ways, lead off the straight and narrow