Synonyms of lean

lean 1 of 3

verb

ˈlēn 

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

• tilt
• slope
• angle
• incline
• tip
• heel
• cant
• cock
• slant
• list
• pitch
• bend
• deviate
• bank
• descend
• veer
• retreat
• swerve
• recline
• decline

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straighten
• level
• flatten
• even

2

as in to tend

to show a liking or proneness (for something)

the family's diet leans toward greasy food

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tend
• incline
• run
• trend
• go
• gravitate
• indicate
• suggest
• point

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoid
• shun
• shy (from or away from)

3

as in to rely

to place reliance or trust

you can always lean on me if you need help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rely
• depend
• count
• call upon
• stand on
• look to
• call on
• calculate
• trust
• bank on
• reckon
• figure on
• confide
• commit
• intrust
• entrust

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suspect
• question
• distrust
• mistrust

lean

2 of 3

adjective

as in skinny

having a noticeably small amount of body fat

all of the marathoners are extremely lean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skinny
• thin
• slender
• bony
• slim
• angular
• gaunt
• svelte
• lithe
• trim
• skeletal
• boney
• spare
• fatless
• haggard
• wiry
• scrawny
• willowy
• lanky
• sinewy
• lank
• rawboned
• spindly
• weedy
• rangy
• reedy
• clean-limbed
• stringy
• scraggy
• emaciated
• twiggy
• anorexic
• sylphlike
• wizened
• waspish
• pinched
• meager
• cadaverous
• puny
• meagre
• slight
• anorectic
• anoretic
• wasted
• spindling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fat
• plump
• obese
• overweight
• chubby
• corpulent
• thick
• heavy
• rotund
• stocky
• gross
• beefy
• bulky
• fleshy
• stout
• tubby
• portly
• chunky
• weighty
• heavyset
• thickset
• burly
• brawny
• husky
• squat
• pudgy
• stubby
• dumpy
• soft
• flabby
• paunchy
• potbellied
• round
• full
• buxom
• roly-poly
• hippy
• zaftig
• zoftig

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

• slope
• inclination
• incline
• gradient
• pitch
• diagonal
• slant
• rake
• climb
• ascent
• cant
• bank
• upgrade
• grade
• rise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall
• dip
• decline
• hanging
• descent
• declivity
• declination
• downgrade
• declension
• hang
• receding

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

Recent Examples of lean

Verb

Many left-leaning Americans agreed, endorsing this new sense of Canada as a more enlightened safe haven. —Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025

In Republican-leaning areas, EV sales were flat. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025

Adjective

One of the big failings that happens in a lean transformation is when senior management doesn’t take on that responsibility of leading and teaching. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Beef can be substituted with grass-fed bison, which is leaner and richer in protein and omega-3s than beef. —Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025

Noun

The list that follows leans mostly toward dives with history, little gems that cater to a wider range of ages and offer more to the palate than cheap beer. —The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

The Mercer 41 sleeper sofa—made to fit two guests quite comfortably—channels a Bauhaus vibe with its metal frame, and the green corduroy upholstery leans into today’s penchant for all things ’70s. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025

Phrases Containing lean

• lean (toward or towards)