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

The paper's authors suggest future versions could lean on more transparent materials and quieter propulsion, edging the drone ever closer to true – and somewhat scary – invisibility. — New Atlas, 17 July 2026

After trading a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the TCU product, the Cowboys will lean on Winters to bring youth and reliability to the off-ball linebacker spot with his 27 career starts and his 101 total tackles from last season. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026

The 26-year-old Ole Miss product will likely lean on his iron play to stay in contention through the weekend. — Justin Ray, New York Times, 17 July 2026

As restaurants come and go, Midtown Sundries has leaned on uniformity more than reinvention. — Evan Moore july 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lean on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon