1
as in tendencies
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the news media are often accused of having liberal leanings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of leanings
Indeed, China’s Latin America policy has not been discriminatory with regard to the political leanings of nations, even if Venezuela were to change course.
—
Kerry E. Ratigan, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
The store owner has claimed that village officials targeted her business because of its political leanings, while arguing that its municipal rules were overburdensome as well as antiquated.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Fearing blackmail and attempting to deny his true leanings, Maurice has been fending off Alec’s advances since their encounter, and now, offended at being rebuffed, Alec has been threatening to publicly expose him.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Ken Jennings' political leanings are no mystery.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
That declaration ultimately ended up encapsulating the vibe of a good portion of my 2025 music leanings, along with the addition of my penchant for good-old-fashioned soppy crooners, all of which contain a through line of really solid storytelling.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Given the state’s Republican leanings, whoever wins the GOP primary for Lummis’s seat is all but certainly poised to win the general election next year.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 23 Dec. 2025
Australian authorities say the suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting filmed a video manifesto that was littered with antisemitism and Islamic State leanings.
—Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Each has its own unique political history and with that its own ideological leanings.
—Averi Harper, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025
Kerry E. Ratigan, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
The store owner has claimed that village officials targeted her business because of its political leanings, while arguing that its municipal rules were overburdensome as well as antiquated.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Fearing blackmail and attempting to deny his true leanings, Maurice has been fending off Alec’s advances since their encounter, and now, offended at being rebuffed, Alec has been threatening to publicly expose him.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Ken Jennings' political leanings are no mystery.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
That declaration ultimately ended up encapsulating the vibe of a good portion of my 2025 music leanings, along with the addition of my penchant for good-old-fashioned soppy crooners, all of which contain a through line of really solid storytelling.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Given the state’s Republican leanings, whoever wins the GOP primary for Lummis’s seat is all but certainly poised to win the general election next year.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 23 Dec. 2025
Australian authorities say the suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting filmed a video manifesto that was littered with antisemitism and Islamic State leanings.
—Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Each has its own unique political history and with that its own ideological leanings.
—Averi Harper, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings
Noun
-
What Don’t Be Dumb does effectively, however, is reestablish Rocky’s auteur-ish tendencies for 2020s hip-hop, drawing throughline between his mixtape days and the raucous, rage-minded sounds that course through much of contemporary rap.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
29 Jan. 2026
-
To tap into each other’s tendencies, to establish chemistry as pick-and-roll partners.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The trick is to select a paint color that is calming and neutral enough so as not to be too visually demanding, while also speaking to your personal style and color inclinations.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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The straight-cut pants are just wide enough to suit popular wide-leg trends without feeling baggy.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 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
-
The tides are shifting, but in which direction, in this case, is uncertain.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Pristine disappearing sandbars are also a huge draw, allowing visitors to walk on powdery white stretches in the remarkably clear waters as the tides roll out.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The driving rock guitars and layered vocal textures recall TV on the Radio’s experimentation, and Galanin shares certain vocal and political affinities with Moses Sumney.—
Petala Ironcloud,
Pitchfork,
20 Jan. 2026
-
China’s global influence is further constrained by weak cultural affinities with other countries.—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Police found evidence that two shooters had armed themselves and shown up there at Gonzalez’s behest, who allegedly relayed directions from Vega-Mendoza.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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This honorary mention is designed to recognise individuals and companies who dare to take risks and champion new directions in Nordic drama.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leanings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leanings. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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