LEANING (TOWARD OR TOWARDS) Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

leaning (toward or towards)

verb

Definition of leaning (toward or towards)

present participle of lean (toward or towards)

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

Apple might delay the full rollout of these desktop AI utilities beyond the initial Q4 2026 macOS 27 release, preferring a staggered approach to unify features across platforms, mirroring iOS.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been noncommittal on the House package that also divides his own GOP majority, with some Republican senators preferring more money for the military and others demanding the costs be offset with cuts elsewhere.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of preferring

Verb

As well as left-wing options, United have looked at potential left-backs, with people at the club liking Newcastle’s Lewis Hall.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026
The poll found that while older adults are more likely to vote, donate money or join groups, nearly half of young people under the age of 30 prefer to engage politically by liking or sharing news content online.

— Casey Parks, Washington Post, 20 July 2026

Definition of liking

Verb

But 60 Minutes long operated as almost a separate unit within the news division, enjoying a great deal of autonomy.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 July 2026
In a very youthful group inevitably depleted by several senior players enjoying their post-World Cup breaks, the two summer arrivals were surprising absentees.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of enjoying

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

leanings

leaning (toward or towards)

leanness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leaning (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaning%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of leaning (toward or towards)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

parochial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes