lean 1 of 3

1
as in to tilt
to set or cause to be at an angle just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) the family's diet leans toward greasy food

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

lean

2 of 3

adjective

lean

3 of 3

noun

as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lean contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lean are gaunt, lanky, lank, rawboned, scrawny, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When is gaunt a more appropriate choice than lean?

The words gaunt and lean can be used in similar contexts, but gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is it sensible to use lank instead of lean?

The words lank and lean are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When would lanky be a good substitute for lean?

The synonyms lanky and lean are sometimes interchangeable, but lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

In what contexts can rawboned take the place of lean?

The meanings of rawboned and lean largely overlap; however, rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of lean?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

When could spare be used to replace lean?

While the synonyms spare and lean are close in meaning, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lean
Verb
Omorovicza's Perfecting Lip Balm's texture leans gritty, almost like a lip polish or a micro-exfoliator. Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 24 June 2025 Tenorio’s approach to vegan food leans plant-forward. Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
Adjective
That lean to the right was fueled in large part by Trump's gains in the suburbs outside of D.C. — an area of the state that now stands to be particularly affected by the Trump administration's cuts to the federal government. Margaret Barthel, NPR, 17 June 2025 As tech organizations flatten their hierarchies, restructure teams and return to leaner operating models, one skill separates executives who thrive from those who struggle: the ability to delegate. Jimmie Lee, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Noun
Her take on the record is soulful and largely piano-based, whereas Starr’s original leans into more classic pop production. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025 Footage also showed the kitchen staff bracing themselves for another big lean from the boat, per 9 News Australia. Escher Walcott, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean
Verb
  • On monthly Red Mirror Party nights, the whole space tilts into extravagance: live shows, flowing Champagne, and a dress code best described as ‘shiny’.
    Lela London, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • Wealth growth was tilted strongly toward North America, propelled by a stable U.S. dollar and upbeat financial markets, according to UBS analysts.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • His turnover rate is sky high, which tends to be a bad indicator.
    Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 26 June 2025
  • In fact, a 2023 study published in the European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education found that those in stable, intimate relationships tend to experience higher psychological well-being and have a better response to stress.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • At Campbellsville University in Kentucky, nearly half of the students are international, and the university, which scored a C on the Forbes 2025 Financial Grades, relies on tuition and fees to make up 83% of its operating revenues.
    Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Israel, meanwhile, relies on both subterfuge and robust regular ground and air forces that are apparently unmatched in the region.
    Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Trying to shove your lower leg into something like skinny jeans or a condom could end up cutting off blood flow, which clearly would not be good for your calf.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • Each wave of skinny fixation has echoed like a cultural recoil — a shrinking aesthetic that emerges just as women expand their influence Advertisement But something is shifting.
    Anne Marie Chaker, Time, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The plan also involves adding California Highway Patrol observation areas, vehicle pull-out areas, a traffic signal at Noble Road, as well as slope protection and drainage improvements, and improvements to the tidal salt marsh and public access.
    Adrian Rodriguez, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
  • The journey’s two remote campsites are reached by traversing spectacular terrain on foot across glaciers, up icy slopes, and through glittering blue ice caves.
    Chloe Berge, Outside Online, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • India, meanwhile, is angling for Trump World to exempt its economy from sectoral tariffs on autos and steel and reciprocal taxes.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are angling for the starting position, and rookies Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are angling to also start somehow, but possibly land a third-string situation.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Both programs would have to depend entirely on current tax receipts from active workers — in just eight years.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
  • If a sneaker is linked to a specific athlete, the popularity of their sneaker, like their trading card, depends on the success of that athlete’s career.
    Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2025
  • In a thin free agent class that’s getting thinner by the minute, there are Ehlers and Boeser (Mitch Marner is expected to go to Vegas, though Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Leafs are rattling their sabers about potential tampering by the Golden Knights) at the top.
    Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lean

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!