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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaning (toward or towards)
Verb
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Robins Robins don't nest in cavities, preferring to make their homes on horizontal branches or flat surfaces like ledges and eaves.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026 -
Initially, Giles doesn’t tell Buffy and the Scoobies about any of this, preferring to conceal his rebellious youth from the impressionable youngsters.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Trysta Krick and Jay Croucher discuss the World Cup odds for best player of the tournament, and Croucher shares his reasoning behind liking France's Kylian Mbappé (+900) best for the award.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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Not liking acting as a child came from feeling a lack of autonomy in my decisions and creativity.—
Marcel Ruiz,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
Verb
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For Club name DuPont, analysts like the company's strategy of favoring its healthcare and water businesses but don't see enough total growth to give it a buy.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
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Jennifer Garner previously opted for comfy-looking joggers that show off cute shoes, while Olivia Wilde, Shay Mitchell, and Kate Moss have been favoring wide-leg styles that are equal parts tailored and breezy.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
For the most part, the Croatia and England fans were a happy, cheerful bunch, sporting their teams colors, chanting happy tunes and enjoying the unique experience.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
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That means players, staff and coaches are off to parts unknown enjoying their summer break.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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