lean

1 of 5

verb (1)

leaned ˈlēnd How to pronounce lean (audio)
 chiefly British  ˈlent
; leaning ˈlē-niŋ How to pronounce lean (audio) ; leans

intransitive verb

1
a
: to incline, deviate, or bend from a vertical position
He leaned back in his chair.
b
: to cast one's weight to one side for support
Lean on me as we walk.
2
: to rely for support or inspiration
… preferred not to lean on his father in building a career.Current Biography
3
: to incline in opinion, taste, or desire
leaning toward a career in chemistry

transitive verb

: to cause to lean : incline
The boy leaned his head on his mother's shoulder.

see also lean in, lean on

lean

2 of 5

noun (1)

: the act or an instance of leaning : inclination

lean

3 of 5

adjective

1
a
: lacking or deficient in flesh
b
: containing little or no fat
lean meat
2
: lacking richness, sufficiency, or productiveness
lean profits
the lean years
3
: deficient in an essential or important quality or ingredient: such as
a
of ore : containing little valuable mineral
b
: low in combustible component
used especially of fuel mixtures
4
: characterized by economy (as of style, expression, or operation)
leanly adverb
leanness noun

lean

4 of 5

verb (2)

leaned; leaning; leans

transitive verb

: to make lean

lean

5 of 5

noun (2)

: the part of meat that consists principally of lean muscle
Choose the Right Synonym for lean

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

Examples of lean in a Sentence

Verb (1) just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it the family's diet leans toward greasy food you can always lean on me if you need help Noun (1) the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it Adjective She has a lean, athletic body. all of the marathoners are extremely lean
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.
Verb
The inspiration was from Omar Sterling because that is the type of sound and the type of vibe his music leans toward. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025 Platner’s progressive platform places him squarely within the burgeoning class of populist political hopefuls—Zohran Mamdani in New York’s mayoral race, and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race, to name two—who have seen success in grassroots campaigns which lean heavily on progressive issues. Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
Each October, the historic property leans into its spooky legacy with Halloween balls and themed events that pair perfectly with its Rocky Mountain setting. Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025 The color palette of Lounge’s fall 2025 collection leans into autumn with shades of tan, cherry, chocolate and black, showcased across a range of textures that include brushed alpaca, sculpted denim, and sheer fabrics. Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
If social media is any indication, lean bulking still commonly involves extreme dieting, which can lead to nutrition deficiencies, hormonal changes, eating disorders, and loss of muscle and bone density. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025 In the past, Ogles has spoken about his strategy of keeping campaign operations lean while redirecting donors to super PACs that later made independent expenditures supporting his campaign. Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lean

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1) and Noun (1)

Middle English lenen, from Old English hleonian; akin to Old High German hlinēn to lean, Greek klinein, Latin clinare

Adjective

Middle English lene, from Old English hlǣne

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1776, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lean was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

lean

1 of 4 verb
leaned ˈlēnd How to pronounce lean (audio)
 chiefly British  ˈlent
; leaning ˈlē-niŋ How to pronounce lean (audio)
1
a
: to slant or cause to slant or bend from an upright position
the tree leans to one side
lean a ladder against a wall
b
: to cast one's weight to one side for support
lean on me
2
: to depend for support
lean on one's family in a crisis
3
: to tend in opinion, taste, or desire
lean toward simplicity

lean

2 of 4 noun
: the act or an instance of leaning

lean

3 of 4 adjective
1
a
: having little body fat
lean cattle
b
: containing little or no fat
lean meat
2
: lacking richness or fullness
a lean fuel-air mixture
leanness noun

lean

4 of 4 noun
: the part of meat that consists mainly of fat-free muscle
Etymology

Verb

Old English hleonian "to slant to one side"

Adjective

Old English hlǣne "having very little body flesh"

Biographical Definition

Lean

biographical name

Sir David 1908–1991 British film director

More from Merriam-Webster on lean

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!