lean in

verb

leaned in; leaning in; leans in

intransitive verb

: 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
Attending 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

Examples of lean in 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.
True authority doesn’t need to shout; if communicated well, people lean in to listen. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 President Donald Trump leans in to hear a question from the media before boarding Air Force One, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., Sunday, July 6, 2025, en route to Washington after a weekend in New Jersey. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 Your wrinkly linen napkins can be re-branded as rustic; simple white plates are the preferred pairing for swirls of spaghetti al pomodoro; family-style platters lean in to the relaxed mood of the season. Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 4 July 2025 The conversation was a call to action, one that encouraged everyone in the room to lean in and stay informed. Oumou Fofana, Essence, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for lean in

Word History

First Known Use

2001, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lean in was in 2001

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Cite this Entry

“Lean in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20in. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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