LEANINGS Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

leanings

noun

plural of leaning

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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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 States’ classroom lessons don’t always map neatly with their political leanings. — Jennifer Peltz, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Cabrera’s abstract leanings, which differed from nationalist motifs then popular with Mexican muralists, drew her closer to the Generación de la Ruptura movement of artists, beginning in the 1950s. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 It was reinforced by Washington’s alliance with Pakistan and its engagement with China during the Cold War, India’s socialist leanings in the decades after its independence, in 1947, and New Delhi’s close relationship with the Soviet Union. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026 Hook's more partisan leanings are mostly limited to his social media posts. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Aug. 2026 But the political leanings of the district essentially make the results a foregone conclusion. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 No religious leanings necessary, this event is centered around inspirational music from professional singers. — Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026 Expect heavy 12 and 13 personnel — a natural fit with Sammis’ pro-style leanings. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026 Thanks to Reagan’s pro-oligarch leanings, his administration drove down inheritance tax requirements, pushing rates down to nearly 50 percent—leaving the heirs of oligarchs with more than enough to quickly rebuild their families’ financial empires. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings

Noun

Hope produces hype But these tendencies leave us open to exploitation by companies that want our money.

— Jonathan Fahey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Safety positioning matters, but so do protection rules and pre-snap signals and down-and-distance tendencies.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of tendencies

Noun

Putin will eventually leave office, whether by death, illness, or—against all observable inclinations—stepping aside.

— Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
People with gene variants that affect these inclinations may also be at a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes, researchers found.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of inclinations

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

Definition of aptitudes

Noun

One of those tides came in while Steinbach was at the far end of the island shooting a sunset.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Even though the tides are slowly turning, many video games have formulaic plots that reinforce old-school gender and heteronormative roles, often featuring a hero saving a damsel in distress from a menacing villain.

— Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of tides

Noun

The caucus will join the hundreds of other such groups centered around shared affinities and interests that exist in Congress.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
As opposed to infantile regression, the oceanic feeling can also be understood as a means of recapturing a repressed sense of relation, connection, affinities.

— George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of affinities

Noun

But Palatine Road was closed in both directions at Winston Drive for hours while crews cleaned up the mess.

— Desiree Evans, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
At the end of both cases, the judge will give directions to the jury, after which all of their electronic devices will be taken and they will be sent to a room to consider their verdict.

— Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026