LEANS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

leans 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lean

as in tilts

to set or cause to be at an angle just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tends

to show a liking or proneness (for something) the family's diet leans toward greasy food

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in relies

to place reliance or trust you can always lean on me if you need help

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

leans

2 of 2

noun

plural of lean

as in inclines

the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it

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 leans

Verb

Attias stood in the hotel lobby, whose design leans toward gray, black, white, earth tones and chrome. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The new breakfast and lunch restaurant leans into the flavors and traditions of Uruguay, where co-owners Patricia Alberro and Cecilia Gonzalez where born. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026 That includes the rural Ohio voter base, which historically leans conservative. — Saige Miller, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026 The spread on the social media giant's five-year credit default swaps reached all-time highs on Thursday, a signal of growing credit concerns from investors as the company leans deeper into its artificial intelligence spending plans. — Cj Haddad, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 While families are very welcome, the overall atmosphere leans more towards a calm and grown-up feel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 ActionHeat leans into buyer education and category explanation content. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Ada County leans red, so any Democratic candidate has to overcome the inherent demographic challenge, said Jeff Lyons, a Boise State University professor in the political science department. — Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026 Obviously, a child who recently suffered a serious head trauma is far from a reliable narrator, and in the premiere, Paley leans into the subjectivity with distorted sound and imagery. — Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026

Noun

The walking haunt leans towards the gory side of horror, so come prepared to witness some grotesque sights, organizers said on Eventbrite. — Hali Smith october 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026 The latest addition to the Sky Railway lineup is The Stargazer, a cosmic trip that leads travelers below New Mexico’s notoriously dark skies and leans into the landscape’s extraterrestrial mystery. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026 This tonal take leans into a moodier palette of gray, purple, and blue, with fish motifs bringing a charming touch to the cool-toned look. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026 The furniture and decor for your little one leans into that fleeting window of imagination, bringing color, whimsy, and playfulness to make their room feel unmistakably theirs. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 31 Aug. 2026 Framed as an ensemble drama rather than the story of a single heroic whistleblower, the production compresses Ibsen’s plot, reimagines the ending and leans into satire without sacrificing moral bite. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Pendleton’s travel-ready design leans into that ritual with a roll-up board printed in one of the heritage brand’s iconic patterns, reversible wooden pieces, and a vegan leather pouch for toting it around. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2026 The cocktail menu leans into the couple’s heritage with some Argentine staples, including the El Clásico of Fernet and Coke and El Diego, concocted with sweet vermouth, Coke and a splash of whiskey. — Rick West, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 In winter, the adults-only retreat leans into its cozy side, inviting guests to curl up by the fireplace, book a spa treatment, and embrace the slower pace of mountain life. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans

Verb

If anyone with a ChatGPT subscription or an open-weight model can hand off that work, control over a device tilts toward whoever’s curious to look inside—no matter their intentions.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
The panel comes from the Genesis Runner, passed through the asymmetric spirit of the Daze Runner, so the paneling sweeps across the upper and tilts.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of tilts

Verb

The exception tends to be District 15, where votes mix as those boundaries meet on the capital’s western edge.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 4 Nov. 2026
Trump has often pointed over the past months to historical data showing that the party holding total control of Washington tends to perform poorly in midterm elections.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of tends

Verb

The program's trustees project that the trust fund Social Security relies on to help pay retirement benefits may be depleted in the fourth quarter of 2032.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
The low-cost device offers a faster alternative to an older method that relies on epoxy or plaster.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of relies

Noun

There are even conveyor belts to ferry folks up steep inclines – which also makes some of China's most beautiful views easier to reach for those less physically able.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
The hiking area is extremely dangerous and known for steep inclines, loose gravel and falling rocks, according to the Italian Alpine Rescue unit, which told CNN that more than 80 people died in the Dolomites in 2026 so far.

— Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of inclines

Verb

The drift usually starts over a 40-foot ledge that quickly slopes down to about a 50-foot depth.

— Bob Rocchetta as told to Al Ristori, Outdoor Life, 28 Oct. 2026
The rest of the Cambria isn’t bad, either, including the shops and galleries along Main Street (which is deceptively long) and the piney slopes above.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of slopes

Verb

Farmers face an even bigger threat at the start of the winter growing season because irrigation depends on electricity and there is no diesel in the area to run pumps.

— Hamza Fahmy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Baltimore’s outlook depends on Lamar Jackson, who is questionable.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of depends

Noun

In 1860, Muybridge was thrown from a carriage, resulting in a head injury that radically changed his personality and possibly heightened his artistic inclinations.

— Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
And a lot of the time, people who have these kinds of inclinations towards children are people who were children who were abused themselves.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026