lean in
verb
leaned in; leaning in; leans in
: to persevere in spite of risk or difficulty
Then there's the racial justice crisis and making sure that we are leaning in during this time of recovery and crisis into the very important conversations around diversity and inclusion.—
Laura Fuentes, quoted in Washington (D.C.) Business Journal
Laura Fuentes, quoted in Washington (D.C.) Business JournalAttending college began as a time of "leaning in," because it took courage to attend a large campus without much parental support and no friends attending with me.—Sue Nokes
Sue NokesExamples of lean in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her district is one of the most Republican-leaning in the state.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Chalamet proudly smiled for the cameras as Kylie leaned in for a kiss on the cheek.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
The book kept selling, reporters kept scheduling interviews, and Lowell, rather than run from the bad press, decided to lean in.
—Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
In one instance, Alix leans in to whisper something in his ear while caressing his back.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean in
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.
Dan Raby, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Chalamet proudly smiled for the cameras as Kylie leaned in for a kiss on the cheek.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
The book kept selling, reporters kept scheduling interviews, and Lowell, rather than run from the bad press, decided to lean in.
—Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
In one instance, Alix leans in to whisper something in his ear while caressing his back.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean in
Cite this Entry
“Lean in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20in. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share