Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to strike a lead

to strike a lead

7.5
To find a useful clue that helps an investigation
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : encontrar una pista
  • After days of research, the detective finally managed to strike a lead in the complex case.

Examples

  • Journalists often work tirelessly to strike a lead before their competitors do.

  • The archaeologist was thrilled to strike a lead that could reveal the city's lost history.

  • The detective struck a lead during the investigation.

  • Have you struck a lead on the missing person case?

  • After days of research, the detective finally managed to strike a lead in the complex case.

  • Journalists often work tirelessly to strike a lead before their competitors do.

  • The archaeologist was thrilled to strike a lead that could reveal the city's lost history.

Synonyms

to find
vsto strike a lead
∞ 1.0

To discover something while looking or by accident

focuses on discovering a useful clue or promising opportunity during inquiry
to turn up
vsto strike a lead
155 3.0

To find something while searching or by chance

focuses on discovering a useful clue or promising opportunity rather than passive revelation
to unearth
vsto strike a lead
23 4.4

To find hidden facts or things by careful searching

focuses on discovering a useful clue or promising opportunity during inquiry
to ferret out
vsto strike a lead
  • Informal
13 6.7

To search carefully to find hidden facts or documents

focuses on discovering a useful clue or promising opportunity during inquiry
to hit upon
vsto strike a lead
7 4.9

To find or think of something by chance

focuses on discovering a useful clue or promising opportunity during inquiry rather than by chance

Antonyms

to miss
518 1.7

To not notice or hear something important

to overlook
243 2.9

To not notice someone or something you should see

How Promising

breakthrough
242 3.9
to strike a lead
7.5
clue
966 1.0

Surface Forms

strike a lead infinitive
striking a lead present participle
strikes a lead third person singular
struck a lead past
struck a lead past participle

Morphology

strike + a + lead

The meaning 'to discover a helpful clue' is directly derivable from combining 'strike' (to encounter or discover) with 'lead' (a piece of information), so a learner who knows both words can infer the phrase. The construction follows a regular verb + noun composition and, despite being a collocation, does not require special cultural or metaphorical knowledge.

Etymology

Strike a lead may come from old miners: to strike means to hit and a lead was a rich vein of metal they found while digging. So, today saying you strike a lead means you 'find a useful clue' or a 'promising opportunity'.