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
Falling oil prices should take some pressure off inflation, and that in turn could give the Federal Reserve leeway to resume cutting interest rates.
—
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
There's no doubt that Oakmont didn't give Kim much leeway.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
As for cutting specific management positions and adding a COO, Deputy City Attorney Leslie Fitzgerald suggested the council may have some leeway on the former, not so much the latter.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025
The Supreme Court on June 6 rejected a Republican challenge to a Pennsylvania court’s ruling on provisional ballots, a case that could have restricted how much leeway state courts have to interpret federal election rules.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for leeway
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Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
There's no doubt that Oakmont didn't give Kim much leeway.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
As for cutting specific management positions and adding a COO, Deputy City Attorney Leslie Fitzgerald suggested the council may have some leeway on the former, not so much the latter.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025
The Supreme Court on June 6 rejected a Republican challenge to a Pennsylvania court’s ruling on provisional ballots, a case that could have restricted how much leeway state courts have to interpret federal election rules.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 June 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 5 Jul. 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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