Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean (on or against)
Verb
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Grant was compelled to celebrate the nation’s hundredth anniversary just as its boldest experiment in democracy to date was being dismantled.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026 -
Her new perspective gazes at us directly, compelling us to meet her eye.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Let things settle, then take one clear step that actually feels aligned and manageable without forcing unnecessary effort or adding extra pressure to yourself.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
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Though embedded in society, these young characters are Kaspar Hauser-like figures, spectrally isolated from the signifying world, forced to construct meaning for themselves, from the ground up.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Chonkers, a roughly 2,000-pound Steller sea lion, has muscled his way onto San Francisco’s most famous floating docks and turned the place into his personal stage.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
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His groundstrokes rip through the court, but the power all comes from timing and the kinetic chain, rather than muscling or heaving the ball.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lean (on or against).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean%20%28on%20or%20against%29. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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