as in preferring
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 leaning (toward or towards)
Verb
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But the House has historically been reluctant to serve as the final arbiter of a lawmaker’s career, preferring to give that final say to the voters.—
Kevin Freking,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026 -
The most severe form of punishment is expulsion, but the House has historically been reluctant to serve as the final arbiter of a lawmaker’s career, preferring to give that final say to the voters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After six brutal years of struggling to stay afloat, movie theater owners and operators arrived in Las Vegas for CinemaCon finally liking their odds of survival.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
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Henley has struggled on approach since the American Express, which is the only thing holding me back from really liking him this week.—
Dennis Esser,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The justices recognized that Colorado had crossed a constitutional line by favoring one set of ideas while silencing another.—
Jeffrey S. Trimbath,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
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The results showed that seventy-nine percent support some form of intervention, with some favoring toppling the regime and others wanting to deal with the humanitarian crisis, highlighting a range of priorities within the community.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Belltower Green is the city’s urban greenspace and gardens, and is the spot for enjoying summer concerts, seasonal parades, and a splash pad during the warmer months.—
Katie Riley,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
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Yedlin, a Seattle native, feels at home in the mountains and said his wife and two young children are enjoying the quiet, family-friendly life in Utah.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Leaning (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaning%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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