lean on

verb

leaned on; leaning on; leans on

transitive verb

: 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
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.
Lately, that’s meant leaning on his bench players. Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 28 May 2026 Lawmakers have voiced concerns about moving away from SDA’s original strategy, which leaned on competition and open architectures, and giving the network to a single company. ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 On the defensive interior, the Falcons leaned on Brandon Dorlus, Maason Smith and LaCale London, while Chris Williams and Ross Blacklock saw snaps, too. Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 27 May 2026 Evero and his defensive staff will lean on their personnel to find the best pre-snap looks. Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lean on

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lean on was circa 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

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