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
As long as that business continues to dominate in mobile, exceed expectations and throw off billions of dollars of cash a quarter, Zuckerberg is likely to get plenty of leeway to pursue his AI ambitions.
—
Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
But given the continued, unwavering support from investors, Musk and Tesla will likely be given plenty of leeway as the company continues to pull away from its core business.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
Senators won’t get the same leeway to vote down the DHS bill but support the rest of the funding measures unless GOP leaders make a change.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
While Maryland agreed to pause its pursuit of punitive action against prediction markets while legal proceedings fully play out, Nevada did not provide the same leeway.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leeway
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.
Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
But given the continued, unwavering support from investors, Musk and Tesla will likely be given plenty of leeway as the company continues to pull away from its core business.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
Senators won’t get the same leeway to vote down the DHS bill but support the rest of the funding measures unless GOP leaders make a change.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
While Maryland agreed to pause its pursuit of punitive action against prediction markets while legal proceedings fully play out, Nevada did not provide the same leeway.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
