less common spelling of leech
1
: either vertical edge of a square sail
2
: the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail
leached; leaching; leaches
1
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
leach out alkali from ashes
2
: to subject to the action of percolating (see percolate sense 1a) liquid (such as water) in order to separate the soluble components
3
a
: to remove (nutritive or harmful elements) from soil by percolation (see percolate sense 1a)
soil leached of its salts by torrential rains
b
: to draw out or remove as if by percolation
all meaning has been leached from my life
: to pass out or through by percolation
Nutrients leached out of the soil with rainwater.
Examples of leach in a Sentence
Verb
Even a small amount of rain can leach the toxic material from the soil.
Certain kinds of treated wood can leach chemicals into the soil.
The chemical eventually leaches away from the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christina Manian, Health, 23 Apr. 2025
But the full extent of the environmental and human disaster lasted much longer, as chemicals leached into rivers and residents continued to advocate for protection.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Experts don’t typically recommend boiling asparagus, since some vitamins can leach out into the water.
—Caroline Hopkins Legaspi, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Store food at home in glass containers to minimize plastic leaching into food.
—Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leach
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Verb
Shop Package-Free Foods that can leach water or grease or items that could be affected by moisture (think chips, crackers, pasta) are often packaged in waterproof materials like plastic.
—Christina Manian, Health, 23 Apr. 2025
But the full extent of the environmental and human disaster lasted much longer, as chemicals leached into rivers and residents continued to advocate for protection.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Experts don’t typically recommend boiling asparagus, since some vitamins can leach out into the water.
—Caroline Hopkins Legaspi, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Store food at home in glass containers to minimize plastic leaching into food.
—Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leach
Cite this Entry
“Leach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leach. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
leach
transitive verb1
: to subject to the action of percolating liquid (as water) in order to separate the soluble components
2
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
: to pass out or through by percolation
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