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
However, selling a rate cut with inflation north of 3% will be a difficult job, particularly considering the leanings of the current committee structure.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Call them my best guesses based on a combination of team need, my sense for team leanings and amateur scouting department preferences, the consensus and my info gathering.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 May 2026
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
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
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Call them my best guesses based on a combination of team need, my sense for team leanings and amateur scouting department preferences, the consensus and my info gathering.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings
Noun
-
But over time, these tendencies have taken their toll.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The movie only hints at the underlying social tendencies that a populist exploits.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 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
-
Forest fires have prompted both humans and wildlife to move to new places, increasing the risk, said Roberto Debbag, vice president of the Latin American Society of Vaccinology, while tourism trends have also had an effect.—
Gonzalo Zegarra,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
The sister of King Charles III is rarely seduced by trends, fashions, or labels.—
Laura Scafati,
Vanity Fair,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Like Pisces, this flower grows in water, representing the fish that swim amongst the tides.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
-
The tides had shifted, nearly stranding us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
While tons of beauty professionals have ties, affinities, and contractual obligations with designer brands, many swear by drugstore or equally accessible products to get their clients star-worthy outcomes.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
11 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The final Cocteau Twins album is an underrated gem that hints at directions the band could have continued in.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
-
Empty fields and croplands surround Denver International Airport in most directions.—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leanings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leanings. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
