lease

1 of 2

noun

1
: a contract by which one conveys real estate, equipment, or facilities for a specified term and for a specified rent
took out a five-year lease on the house
also : the act of such conveyance or the term for which it is made
2
: a piece of land or property that is leased
3
: a continuance or opportunity for continuance
a new lease on life

lease

2 of 2

verb

leased; leasing

transitive verb

1
: to grant by lease
2
: to hold under a lease
leasable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for lease

hire, let, lease, rent, charter mean to engage or grant for use at a price.

hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

Examples of lease in a Sentence

Noun They took out a five-year lease on the house. We hold leases on both of our cars. Verb She leases a red convertible. I have leased this house for the last four years. We leased the house to a young married couple.
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.
Noun
Halas pledged at the meeting to sign a 35-year lease if a new 80,000-seat stadium was constructed adjacent to Arlington Park. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024 Gap insurance is essential for lessees because a new-vehicle lease is virtually unbreakable. Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
For those leasing a new vehicle, the leasing company or automaker’s financing division will typically build the cost into the agreement. Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 Mark Brant had a secret: The feds were after him for leasing land to a marijuana grow operation. M.l. Elrick, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lease 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English les, from Anglo-French, from lesser

Verb

Anglo-French lesser, laisser, lescher to leave, hand over, lease, from Latin laxare to loosen, from laxus slack — more at slack

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lease was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lease

Cite this Entry

“Lease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lease. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

lease

1 of 2 noun
1
: an agreement to hand over real estate for a period of time usually for a specified rent
also : the act of leasing real estate
2
: property that is leased

lease

2 of 2 verb
leased; leasing
1
: to grant by lease : let
2
: to hold under a lease

Legal Definition

lease

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a contract by which an owner of property conveys exclusive possession, control, use, or enjoyment of it for a specified rent and a specified term after which the property reverts to the owner
also : the act of such conveyance or the term for which it is made see also sublease compare easement, license, security interest at interest sense 1, tenancy

Note: Article 2A of the Uniform Commercial Code, which governs leases where adopted, defines lease as “a transfer of the right to possession and use of goods for a term in return for consideration.”

building lease
: ground lease in this entry
consumer lease
: a lease made by a lessor regularly engaged in the selling or leasing of a product to a lessee who is leasing the product primarily for his or her personal or household use
finance lease
: a lease in which the lessor acquires goods from a supplier in accordance with the specifications of the lessee

Note: Under section 2A-103 of the Uniform Commercial Code, before the lessor signs the lease or the lease becomes effective, the lessee must receive a copy of or approve of the contract by which the goods were acquired or must receive a statement of terms (as warranties, disclaimers, and liquidated damages) relating to the contract or notification of where such information can be obtained.

ground lease
: a lease of land usually for a long term in consideration of the payment of rent and with the agreement that the lessee build or improve a structure on the land

called also building lease

mineral lease
: a lease granting the right to work a mine and extract the minerals or other valuable deposits from it under prescribed conditions (as of time, price, or royalties)

called also mining lease

net lease
: a lease requiring the lessee to assume all operation expenses (as for maintenance, insurance, and taxes) in addition to the payment of rent
operating lease
: a lease of property and especially equipment for a term which is shorter than the property's useful life and in which the lessor is responsible for certain expenses (as taxes)
perpetual lease \ pər-​ˈpe-​chu̇-​wəl-​ \
: a lease renewable forever at the lessee's option
proprietary lease
: a lease used to convey to a member of a cooperative the exclusive possession of a residential unit
true lease
: a lease that resembles a security agreement but retains the attributes of a lease
b
: property and especially real property that is leased
2
in the civil law of Louisiana : a contract by which a person provides labor or services for a price

lease

2 of 2 verb
leased; leasing

transitive verb

1
: to grant by lease to another
leases mopeds to tourists
2
: to hold under a lease
a company leasing a fleet of cars for its executives

intransitive verb

1
: to be under a lease or subject to a lease
the vacation house leases for $500 a week
2
: to grant property by a lease
have leased to students in the past
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French les, from lesser to grant by lease, from Old French laisser to let go, from Latin laxare to loosen, from laxus slack

More from Merriam-Webster on lease

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!