LEAN (TOWARD OR TOWARDS) Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

lean (toward or towards)

verb

Definition of lean (toward or towards)

as in to like

to show partiality toward I'm leaning toward sausage on our pizza tonight—we got pepperoni the last three times

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean (toward or towards)

Verb

Terry Kay liked to tell the story of how he was coerced into writing his first novel by Pat Conroy, who told his literary agent Kay had written a brilliant manuscript.

— Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
And yet, when CNN Sports asked to speak with people who bet on sports but don’t like prediction markets partnering with sports leagues, teams or athletes themselves, Allison was among the dozens of fans who reached out.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

If admiration and support for female athletes drive support for prohibiting transgender women from participating in women’s sports, then those who favor Title IX should also favor bans.

— Jesse Rhodes, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Three-quarters of that is for races that are either toss-ups or some degree of Republican-favored, according to the Cook Political Report.

— Stephen Fowler, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of favor

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.

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lean-tos

lean (toward or towards)

leap

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Style

“Lean (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lean (toward or towards)

verb

Example Sentences

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