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.
The Jets clearly view the young back as an integral part of their offense, and will likely lean on him the rest of the season before having to make a contract decision. Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 His forward lean on these things is deliberate. David J. Lopez, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025 Thomas Frank has brought in the pragmatism Postecoglou pigheadedly failed to lean on during the majority of his Spurs tenure, but the Dane is probably using a bit too much of it. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 When the situation seemed most dire at Rogers Centre on Saturday night, Los Angeles leaned on Ohtani’s compatriot Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who returned to the mound in extra innings with no rest after winning Game 6 and finished up the comeback victory. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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