lean on
verb
leaned on; leaning on; leans on
: to apply pressure to
They were leaning on the governor to pass the law.
Examples of lean on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The White House quickly changed gear, leaning on legislation such as the 1974 Trade Act to keep the duties in place.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Even several major American car brands like Ford have built production processes that lean on international parts and imports.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Both moms say their sons are leaning on each other.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Debt rose by the most in years as the government leaned on Saudi private lenders and didn’t touch its stock of foreign reserves.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean on
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Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Even several major American car brands like Ford have built production processes that lean on international parts and imports.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Both moms say their sons are leaning on each other.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Debt rose by the most in years as the government leaned on Saudi private lenders and didn’t touch its stock of foreign reserves.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean on
Cite this Entry
“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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