leak

1 of 2

verb

ˈlēk 

leaked; leaking; leaks

intransitive verb

1

a

: to enter or escape through an opening usually by a fault or mistake

fumes leak in

b

: to let a substance or light in or out through an opening

The roof was leaking.

2

a

: to become known despite efforts at concealment

confidential information leaked out

b

: to be the source of an information leak

transitive verb

1

: to permit to enter or escape through or as if through a leak

The roof leaks water.

2

: to give out (information) surreptitiously

leaked the story to the press

leaker

ˈlē-kər 

noun

leak

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a crack or hole that usually by mistake admits or lets escape

b

: something that permits the admission or escape of something else usually with prejudicial effect

2

: the act, process, or an instance of leaking

3

informal + impolite : an act of urinating

—used especially in the phrase take a leak

leakproof

ˈlēk-ˌprüf 

adjective

Synonyms of leak

Verb

• spread
• circulate
• get out
• come out
• get around

Examples of leak in a Sentence

Verb

The boat was leaking water.

The cracked pipe leaked fumes into the room.

Fumes leaked through the crack in the pipe.

Air leaked out of the tire.

Water was leaking through a hole in the roof.

Someone leaked the story to the press.

Noun

The boat had developed a bad leak.

The landlord said he would fix the leak in the roof.

a slow leak of the chemical

When a reporter revealed classified information, the source of the leak was investigated.

Security is high because of a fear of leaks before negotiations have been finished.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Proceedings from the nominally closed committee were halted when a Republican leaked an image of Clinton to a conservative influencer, and House Republicans reportedly asked her about UFOs and the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. —semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026

Environmental protection officials are monitoring Goose Creek in West Chester, Pennsylvania, after a white substance leaked into the water, causing a fish kill. —Laura Fay, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026

Noun

Boston Police have reopened a road that was shut down near Mass General Hospital due to a gas leak Tuesday morning. —Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 3 Mar. 2026

The pipe was plugged Saturday, stopping the leak, the spokesperson said. —Laura Fay, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English leken, liken "to lose liquid," probably going back to Old English *lekan, going back to Germanic *lekan- (whence also Middle Dutch leken "to leak," Old High German zilechan "leaky, cracked," Old Icelandic leka "to leak, drip"), going back to dialectal Indo-European *leg-e-, whence also Middle Irish legaid (intransitive) "(it) melts, dissolves," (transitive) "(s/he) melts, wipes out, destroys," Middle Welsh dileaf "(I) erase, obliterate" (verbal noun dilein) (< *dī-leg-)

Note: There is no evidence for the English verb before the end of the fourteenth century, and hence a loan origin has been sought. Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, avers that it may be an inherited word or it may have been borrowed from Old Norse. Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology believes that both verb and noun leak as well as the Early Modern English adjective leak "leaky" are borrowed from Low German or Dutch; the editors' added claim that Germanic *lek- is a variant of *lak-, the etymon of lack entry 1 and lack entry 2, is not supportable.

Noun

earlier leke (late 15th century), perhaps derivative of leke, leak, adjective, "leaky," probably going back to Old English hlec (with unexplained h-), going back to Germanic *leka- (whence also Middle Dutch lec "leaky," early Modern German lech, Old Icelandic lekr), derivative of *lekan- "to leak entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing leak

• anti-leak
• have a leak
• slow leak
• spring a leak
• take a leak

Rhymes for leak

• beak
• beek
• bleak
• cheek
• chic
• clique
• creak
• creek
• eke
• freak
• geek
• greek

Kids Definition

leak

1 of 2 verb

ˈlēk 

1

: to enter or escape or permit to enter or escape accidentally or by mistake

fumes leaked in

the secret leaked out

2

: to give out information secretly

leaked the story to the press

leak

2 of 2 noun

1

: something and especially a crack or hole that lets something in or out usually accidentally

2

: leakage