as in preferred
to show partiality toward
I'm leaning toward sausage on our pizza tonight—we got pepperoni the last three times
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaned (toward or towards)
Verb
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Nearly fifty per cent of participants preferred the texts written by artificial intelligence.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026 -
But Disney would have preferred to hold off on the revelation until after the Oscars to handle the situation more delicately.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Panjwani liked Resy’s connection to American Express, which offers monthly dining credits to members of its higher-end cards.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
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Whether Grandpa was in charge of making his famous recipe, helped Grandma whip up his favorite cake, or just liked to put in a request for his favorite dessert, these recipes are just like the ones Grandpa always looked forward to eating after Easter dinner.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Up top, the sundeck is equipped with a sliding-door windbreaker, which means it can be enjoyed even if the weather isn’t playing ball.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
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The stout is typically served on draft — widely considered the preferred method — but it can also be enjoyed from a can.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Here are three stocks favored by some of Wall Street's top pros, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2026
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His research found that between 1868 and 1940, there was only one race where a presidential candidate who was favored in the prediction markets the month before Election Day lost.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Leaned (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaned%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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