lease 1 of 2

1
as in to rent
to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment the landlord was willing to lease the apartment for less than we had expected

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum I couldn't afford to buy a car outright, so I decided to lease one instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

lease

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lease different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lease are charter, hire, let, and rent. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

When would charter be a good substitute for lease?

In some situations, the words charter and lease are roughly equivalent. However, charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of lease?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

In what contexts can rent take the place of lease?

Although the words rent and lease have much in common, rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lease
Verb
Aging stadiums, economic impact Both Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium will approach 60 years of age as the teams’ leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in early 2031. Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2025 Instead, it’s funded by private lease royalties from the Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas reserves. Michael R. Allen, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
Noun
Apartments at the Highpoint are also completely leased, Deignan said. Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025 Matthew Baron, president of Baron Property Group, which partnered with MG Developer on Metro Parc, said around 10 percent of the building has been leased so far. Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for lease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lease
Verb
  • Lori also served as the executive director at the North Idaho Housing Coalition, a nonprofit organization that renovated homes to rent or sell to low-income families.
    Caroline Blair, People.com, 6 July 2025
  • However, for convenience and comfort, your best bet is to rent a car.
    Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Whether they’re hired permanently or temporarily through an agency, these workers will now be covered by California’s workplace safety rules.
    Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
  • Vaughn Hillyard will join MSNBC as senior White House correspondent, as the network has hired a group of journalists for its team in advance of its split from Comcast and sister network NBC News.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Steven Russell Klein, 28, of Bridgeport was issued a verbal warning last Thursday when police found him on property owned by the Aquarion Water Company, according to the Easton Police Department.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025
  • When wage labor and economic inequality increased in the early 1800s, states extended the vote to all white men regardless of property.
    Time, Time, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • The Senate Bill shifts the OZ 2.0 designation window to July 1, 2026, removing the $10,000 carve-out proposed by the House and the 33 percent requirement definition of eligible tracts.
    Oludolapo Makinde, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Residents in census tracts where more than 30% of families lived below the federal poverty line had a fentanyl overdose death rate nearly four times that of those in more affluent areas.
    Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • However, San Jose has struggled to keep pace, with the city failing to see a single construction start last year for market-rate multi-family developments over 20 units, making the Pleasant Hills project a potential bonus should it be constructed.
    Devan Patel, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
  • The development was spearheaded by Frederick Long and Laneé Nicole, local real estate professionals, and developer David Sutor.
    Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lease. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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