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leaned (toward or towards)

verb

past tense of lean (toward or towards)
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)
  1. preferred
  2. liked
  3. enjoyed
  4. favored
Verb
  • The researchers did not find equivalent evidence that introverted participants preferred an introverted AI.
    — Paul Jones, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Germany, meanwhile, has historically preferred to spend money on satellites, scientific missions, and payloads.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of preferred
Verb
  • Joseph also was known as an executive who liked to get into the weeds.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Gasper’s father, also named Mickey, had grown up rooting for the Yankees in New Jersey, so Gasper liked them, too.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of liked
Verb
  • Born in Los Angeles, Wong should have enjoyed all privileges of birthright citizenship.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In New Preston, a short drive away, Smith Cafe’s offers excellent sandwiches and smoothies best enjoyed on benches in the sun.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of enjoyed
Verb
  • It was not favored by critics, although Scream fans remain somewhat loyal.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Talarico has favored higher taxes on wealthier households and the two ads seek to portray him as seeking tax hikes more broadly while claiming that Paxton would give tax breaks to first-time homebuyers and families with children.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of favored
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.

Browse Nearby Words

leaned (on or against)
leaned (toward or towards)
leaning
See all Nearby Words

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 19 Sep. 2026.

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