1
: an allowable margin of freedom or variation : tolerance
The new rules allow managers greater leeway in making decisions.
2
a
: off-course lateral movement of a ship when underway
The sailboat's centerboard helps to reduce leeway.
b
: the angle between the heading and the track of an airplane
Examples of leeway in a Sentence
They give their students leeway to try new things.
you will be given some leeway in choosing how to carry out the project
Recent Examples on the Web
Courts have given more leeway in determining who gets legal status in the country in the first place, but tend to be more strict on stripping that status away.
—
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Women can now legally work night shifts, firms have greater leeway to extend working hours and migrant workers’ rights are expected to be more clearly protected.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 27 Nov. 2025
Ruby allegedly had a relationship with some Dallas police officers, sometimes trading favors for leeway monitoring his nightclubs, according to History.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Plants growing in garden beds or in the landscape have a lot more leeway, as the surrounding soil provides expansion room.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leeway
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Women can now legally work night shifts, firms have greater leeway to extend working hours and migrant workers’ rights are expected to be more clearly protected.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 27 Nov. 2025
Ruby allegedly had a relationship with some Dallas police officers, sometimes trading favors for leeway monitoring his nightclubs, according to History.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Plants growing in garden beds or in the landscape have a lot more leeway, as the surrounding soil provides expansion room.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leeway
Cite this Entry
“Leeway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leeway. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leeway
noun
lee·way
ˈlē-ˌwā 
1
: sideways movement of a ship when under way
2
: an extra amount (as of room or time) that allows some freedom or variation
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