Illustration of lever
- lever 2a
1
a
: a bar used for prying or dislodging something
b
: an inducing or compelling force : tool
use food as a political lever—
Time
Time2
a
: a rigid piece that transmits and modifies force or motion when forces are applied at two points and it turns about a third
specifically
: a rigid bar used to exert a pressure or sustain a weight at one point of its length by the application of a force at a second and turning at a third on a fulcrum
b
: a projecting piece by which a mechanism (see mechanism sense 1) is operated or adjusted
levered; levering
ˈle-və-riŋ 
ˈlē-;
ˈlev-riŋ,
ˈlēv-
1
: to pry, raise, or move with or as if with a lever
2
: to operate (a device) in the manner of a lever
Synonyms
Examples of lever in a Sentence
Noun
They used their money as a lever to gain political power.
Verb
He levered the rock out of the hole.
the workers used crowbars to lever the heavy stone block into its new position
Recent Examples on the WebIsaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024
These mass protests were a typical element of 20th-century politics through which sectors that did not concentrate the levers of power were able to stand up and even overcome those in charge.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The chair also had gas-lift levers that controlled height and tilt — good news for women, who were joining the work force in record numbers, and whose comfort had been ignored by earlier designers.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Most of all, O’Leary rightly worries that the top airline brass don’t have their hands on the levers and valves that power the factory floor.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024
Max Bernstein rocks out on the guitar, keyboards and pedal steel, which is a steel guitar with pedals and knee levers.
—Bryan West, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
But the musical’s treatment of mortality, though another easy lever to pull, feels more organically resonant.
—Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
In addition to a removable bike lever and training wheels, this bike has a bell, kickstand, tool kit, and a water bottle holder with a matching water bottle.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024
The rear seats fold down at the tug of a little lever on either side of the cargo compartment, more than doubling the cargo space to 56 cubic feet.
—Tim Stevens, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024
Brett Owens, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Laboriously, the regime of physical therapy trained him to lever himself from wheelchair to bed or lavatory and back, and even, for a few fearful steps, to walk with a cane.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 19 Jan. 2023
The trades, in some cases, have been levered 50-to-1, according to two of the people.
—Sonali Basak, Fortune, 26 May 2023
Boko Haram, the jihadist group that kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in 2014, igniting the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, released a video claiming credit for the Katsina kidnapping, which officials later said was an attempt to lever influence over negotiations.
—Joe Parkinson, WSJ, 2 Mar. 2021
And the second is levered door handles.
—Dirk Sutro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2023
This machine came mostly assembled, but the tube frame that all the controls are mounted onto needed to be unfolded and levered into place, and then secured with bolts.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2023
Unfortunately for Putin, besides the Cassandra-like handwringing of some misguided media commentators, there remains little evidence that his efforts to lever energy as the wedge to divide civil society are paying any concrete dividends.
—Steven Tian, Fortune, 25 July 2022
If so, squeeze the brake lever several times to see if the pistons retract.
—Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 3 June 2020
Noun
There were three levers the Administration could’ve pulled.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024
These mass protests were a typical element of 20th-century politics through which sectors that did not concentrate the levers of power were able to stand up and even overcome those in charge.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The chair also had gas-lift levers that controlled height and tilt — good news for women, who were joining the work force in record numbers, and whose comfort had been ignored by earlier designers.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Most of all, O’Leary rightly worries that the top airline brass don’t have their hands on the levers and valves that power the factory floor.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024
Max Bernstein rocks out on the guitar, keyboards and pedal steel, which is a steel guitar with pedals and knee levers.
—Bryan West, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
But the musical’s treatment of mortality, though another easy lever to pull, feels more organically resonant.
—Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
In addition to a removable bike lever and training wheels, this bike has a bell, kickstand, tool kit, and a water bottle holder with a matching water bottle.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024
The rear seats fold down at the tug of a little lever on either side of the cargo compartment, more than doubling the cargo space to 56 cubic feet.
—Tim Stevens, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
Wall Street has 2 Holds and 2 Sells on USAC units—the MLP is heavily levered, and high levels of investment will impede its ability to de-lever in the short term.
—Brett Owens, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Laboriously, the regime of physical therapy trained him to lever himself from wheelchair to bed or lavatory and back, and even, for a few fearful steps, to walk with a cane.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 19 Jan. 2023
The trades, in some cases, have been levered 50-to-1, according to two of the people.
—Sonali Basak, Fortune, 26 May 2023
Boko Haram, the jihadist group that kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in 2014, igniting the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, released a video claiming credit for the Katsina kidnapping, which officials later said was an attempt to lever influence over negotiations.
—Joe Parkinson, WSJ, 2 Mar. 2021
And the second is levered door handles.
—Dirk Sutro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2023
This machine came mostly assembled, but the tube frame that all the controls are mounted onto needed to be unfolded and levered into place, and then secured with bolts.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2023
Unfortunately for Putin, besides the Cassandra-like handwringing of some misguided media commentators, there remains little evidence that his efforts to lever energy as the wedge to divide civil society are paying any concrete dividends.
—Steven Tian, Fortune, 25 July 2022
If so, squeeze the brake lever several times to see if the pistons retract.
—Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 3 June 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French levier, lever, from lever to raise, from Latin levare, from levis light in weight — more at light
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of lever was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near lever
Cite this Entry
“Lever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lever. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
1
: a bar used to pry or move something
2
: a stiff bar for applying a force (as for lifting a weight) at one point of its length by effort at a second point and turning at a third point on a fulcrum
3
: a bar or rod used to run or adjust something
a gearshift lever
Etymology
Noun
Middle English lever "bar for prying," from early French levier (same meaning), from lever (verb) "to raise," from Latin levare "to raise" — related to elevate
More from Merriam-Webster on lever
Nglish: Translation of lever for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of lever for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lever
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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