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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
all of the marathoners are extremely lean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lean
Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2025
Only 11 percent think Eason should get the nod over Smith, Finney-Smith or Steven Adams (leaning heavily into double-big lineups).
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
Whey protein can help build lean muscle, but the body can only absorb so much at a time.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Tiana Randall, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Crunchyroll’s ongoing lean into the fan space doesn’t stop at the showfloor.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Verb
Bieber struck out the side in the fourth inning and leaned heavily on his slider in two-strike counts, pairing it with a cutter and changeup that drew awkward swings.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2025
Only 11 percent think Eason should get the nod over Smith, Finney-Smith or Steven Adams (leaning heavily into double-big lineups).
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Gary Numan strove to reinvent the limitations of what could be expressed through sound, even through lean years.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
Whey protein can help build lean muscle, but the body can only absorb so much at a time.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
Many business owners who launch on TikTok lean heavily on the shop feature, but their reliance was shaken when the app faced a brief, nationwide ban in the U.S. for less than 24 hours — a wake-up call for creators and entrepreneurs across the country.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Crunchyroll’s ongoing lean into the fan space doesn’t stop at the showfloor.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean
Verb
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Carlsbad police said the drone cameras are tilted toward the horizon and the sky, not the ground below, when traveling to and from an incident.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Aug. 2025
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Any telescope with at least 30x magnification will reveal Saturn's iconic rings, which are currently tilted about 3 degrees toward Earth.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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One consequence of tight monetary policy tends to be a slowing economy and a cooler labor market.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
25 Aug. 2025
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Contributions skyrocketed by an average of 374 percent across the 16 schools, which tended to coincide with stadium renovations and new practice facilities.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Rhonda, a former attorney, takes a by-the-book approach to solving crimes, while teenage Baby relies on her street smarts.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
21 Aug. 2025
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The organization is now working to raise private donations to help support more than 150 refugees in Middle Tennessee that are currently relying on federal funds for food, housing and transportation.—
Kelly Puente,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This isn’t about fat or skinny, this is about being healthy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Aug. 2025
-
It's got bar-end indicators perfect for skinny folk to be seen from behind and for the rest of us to be easily seen from the front.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Use it as a ground cover along walkways, to stabilize soil on sunny banks or slopes, or to edge patios.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 Aug. 2025
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Then, one by one, the elephants climbed uphill and headed into the bamboo thicket on the other side of the slope.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The tracks led north and east now, angling and twisting through the timber, across ravines and small draws, avoiding parks and passes, heading generally into the wind.—
Fred C. Mercer,
Outdoor Life,
14 Aug. 2025
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Metallica’s Lars Ulrich addressed rumors that the band is circling a Las Vegas Sphere residency — as well as angling for the halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl — in an interview Wednesday with Howard Stern.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There's a few other factors outside of that depending on finish from there.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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This raises questions about the potential impact of these changes on the accuracy and reliability of the data that businesses and policymakers depend on.—
,
CNBC,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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,
17 Aug. 2025
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Details on the election process are thin, but many citizens could be casting their votes in an active conflict zone or under the eyes of armed soldiers – a terrifying prospect that some say could lead to more violence.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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