How to Use lead time in a Sentence

lead time

noun
  • We will need at least six months lead time before production begins.
  • Prices surged and lead times grew.
    — Dr. Robert Brüll, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The chef needs lead time to swap things out.
    — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Units are made to order with a lead time of about three months.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Now is the time to work on goals that might need a bit of extra lead time.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
  • Both deals are expected to have long lead times to close.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The chef needs lead time to plan around restrictions.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
  • What is the lead time for delivery?
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Why can't new shoe designs arrive on the shelf with less lead time?
    — Julie Kliegman, The Week, 26 Feb. 2018
  • While many of the pies on this list ship within a few days, some have a longer lead time.
    — Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2022
  • The routines last only a minute or so, but there isn’t much lead time.
    — David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2022
  • Floods are harder, with a much shorter lead time, as storms or fronts stall.
    — Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 21 July 2021
  • These things take quite a bit of lead time, so the show had people out there already.
    — Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 15 July 2024
  • It can be delivered anywhere in the world with a six-month lead time.
    — Liz Stinson, Curbed, 21 May 2018
  • With high costs and long lead times, there is a risk of creating orphaned lanes.
    — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 14 Aug. 2019
  • And give yourself enough lead time to come up with a backup plan if the neighbors say no.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Each chair is made to order, so expect a lead time of six weeks, plus time for shipping.
    — Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2021
  • Chun is seeing chaos in the supply chain turn lead times of one month into three months then five.
    — HubSpot, 20 June 2025
  • That was okay for that time because things ran on quite a significant lead time.
    — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • Wastewater testing can predict new outbreaks with a lead time of one to two weeks.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2021
  • The company solves pain points like long lead times, and lack of local supply.
    — Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
  • With that three day lead time, scientists have to lock in a time for only a few minutes.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The normal lead time for commercial ads was four to six months, and now it’s been cut down to two or three.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 26 May 2023
  • Although lead times are condensed, the result is speedy—but not fast—fashion.
    — Sj Studio, Footwear News, 12 June 2026
  • Typically, the lead time given is at least two years.
    — Kurt Strovink, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Muhammad ran a world-leading time to win the Olympic trials and earn a spot on the team.
    — Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2019
  • There were, however, trade-offs, such as long lead times to get research into space.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
  • Love documentaries but bristle at their long lead time?
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2026
  • Part of the problem is the lead time needed to make influenza vaccines.
    — Maggie Fox, CNN, 16 Dec. 2021
  • Occasionally the team get a longer lead time.
    — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 15 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lead time.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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