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

Never mind that farm analysts in the media rank the Padres’ prospects group last or near it of the 30, one saying it’s never been this lean in Preller’s 11-plus years atop baseball operations. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026

Fish sandwiches have become a Lenten staple, and fast-food chains are leaning in with limited-time offerings this season. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Spring is a season of inspiration, and the newest issue of the Magnolia Journal is leaning in. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026

And in Minnesota, Democrats are leaning in. —Dana Ferguson, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2001, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lean in

• renin
• carrageenan
• catenin