leveraged

adjective

lev·​er·​aged ˈle-və-rijd 

ˈlē-;

ˈlev-rijd, 

ˈlēv-

1

: having a high proportion of debt relative to equity

2

of the purchase of a company : made with borrowed money that is secured by the assets of the company bought

a leveraged buyout

Examples of leveraged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hostile takeovers and leveraged buyouts in the 1980s enforced the new discipline. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

And that doesn’t consider leveraged ETFs, which have seen astronomical asset growth this year. — Justin Zacks, CNBC, 24 July 2026

The numbers include investment-grade, high-yield, and leveraged loan debt markets. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Josh writes from the desk, with a career in leveraged finance and media businesses informing his analysis. — Daren Smith, IndieWire, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing leveraged

• leveraged buyout