1
as in tendencies
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the news media are often accused of having liberal leanings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in inclinations
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
despite what his athletic leanings might suggest, he was actually a very lazy kid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of leanings
Ellison’s political leanings and close ties to Trump could explain why news of his FCC ask hasn’t triggered the usual Muslim-scare fare from folks like Arroyo.
—
Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and budget writers in that chamber have not yet unveiled their own fiscal leanings for this year.
—Andrew Graham
april 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In an era when the genre was dominated by bro-country clichés — add equal parts beer, truck and dirt road, stir and serve — Clark, McAnally and Osborne brought varied subject matter, richer emotional shadings and more cosmopolitan leanings.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Despite its obvious political leanings, the network must know Jimmy Kimmel isn't worth it anymore.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Blanton’s improvisational leanings wrench this aesthetic away from the realm of the programmatic, allowing his tracks to warp on a dime and filling them with plentiful rewinds, glitches, and abstract codas.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Catholics should be focused on living out the gospel, Wenski said, which may put them at odds with their own political leanings.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and budget writers in that chamber have not yet unveiled their own fiscal leanings for this year.
—Andrew Graham
april 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In an era when the genre was dominated by bro-country clichés — add equal parts beer, truck and dirt road, stir and serve — Clark, McAnally and Osborne brought varied subject matter, richer emotional shadings and more cosmopolitan leanings.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Despite its obvious political leanings, the network must know Jimmy Kimmel isn't worth it anymore.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Blanton’s improvisational leanings wrench this aesthetic away from the realm of the programmatic, allowing his tracks to warp on a dime and filling them with plentiful rewinds, glitches, and abstract codas.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Catholics should be focused on living out the gospel, Wenski said, which may put them at odds with their own political leanings.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings
Noun
-
Rácz has been interpreted as a foil to Vladimír Mečiar, a real-life politician who served as Slovakia’s prime minister between 1990 and 1998 and was heavily criticized for his autocratic tendencies, strongman persona, and ties to organized crime.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Who knew that such daring would lead to a film that avoids these inclinations entirely, especially one that could have so easily leaned into controversial territory?—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Food trends are also spreading quickly through social media.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
-
Fans often describe the industry’s history as unofficial eras, characterized by different trends and waves of new artists.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
-
More money is apt to make homeschooling worse and far less tailored to the individual student and their interests and aptitudes by encouraging parents to substitute pricey group programs for the requisite effort of individualized instruction.—
Marie Sapirie,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Both Dunn and Hobbes noted that the Supreme Court was once a place where Black voters could see justice for their rights, but the recent decision is further indication tides are changing.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
The tides represent the highs and lows of life.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its formal and ontological affinities with dysfunction, fragmentation, and violence would seem to render that debt proverbial to the point of cliché.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Today, costly and time-consuming coachbuilding acts as a mirror for the owner’s personal style and affinities, all the while displaying the status of having formed such a close connection with a brand that you’re invited to commission something singular.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Staff were stationed throughout, giving runners directions, passing out water and cheering us on.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Regular service on the Tehran–Moscow route will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in both directions, IRNA reported, citing officials with Mahan Air.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leanings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leanings. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
