Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To cause someone to believe something that is not true; to deceive: The core meaning involves making someone accept a false idea or belief.
   • To guide someone in the wrong direction, literally or figuratively: This can refer to giving incorrect physical directions or misleading someone in their actions or life choices.
   • To corrupt someone's morals; to teach immoral behavior: This sense involves negatively influencing someone's character or ethical principles.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The fraudulent advertisement led many investors astray with promises of impossible returns. (It deceived them.)
  • The outdated map led the hikers astray, and they got lost in the forest. (It gave them wrong directions.)
  • He worried that the older, troublesome students would lead his son astray. (They would teach him bad habits.)

Advanced Usage

• To be led astray: This passive form is common and emphasizes the state of having been misled or corrupted.
  • Many young people are led astray by the glamorous portrayal of crime in some media.
• Figurative Use: Often used to describe the consequence of bad advice or poor judgment.
  • His own anger led him astray, causing him to make a terrible decision.

Variants and Related Words

• Mislead (verb): To cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression. A very close synonym.
  • The statistics were presented in a way that could mislead the public.
• Deceive (verb): To trick someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.
• Corrupt (verb): To cause someone to become morally depraved.

Synonyms

• Misdirect
• Delude
• Beguile

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Lead astray" is itself a phrasal verb. Other phrasal verbs with "lead" have distinct meanings.) - Lead on: To deceive someone, especially in matters of romance or expectation. - He led her on for months before admitting he wasn't interested. - Lead off: To begin something. - She will lead off the discussion with her presentation.

Related Idioms

• Lead someone down the garden path: To deceive someone.
  • The salesman led us down the garden path about the car's condition.
• Lead someone by the nose: To control someone completely.
  • The dictator led the population by the nose for decades.

Verb

1. cause someone to believe an untruth
   • The insurance company deceived me when they told me they were covering my house
2. lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions
   • The pedestrian misdirected the out-of-town driver
3. teach immoral behavior to
   • It was common practice to lead off the young ones, and teach them bad habits