1
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
2
3
as in relies
to place reliance or trust
you can always lean on me if you need help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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.
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Recent Examples of leans
PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Except for a few shots of China’s President Xi presiding over a military parade, the film’s image of totalitarianism leans far more toward right-wing regimes; to leave out Mao, or Castro, feels like a mistake.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
As Swift increasingly leans into confessional and explicit themes, her music continues to shape conversation around celebrity, relationships and female empowerment.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This sleek option from Walker Edison leans modern with its ultra-thin legs.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 2025
Cook says the race currently leans Republican.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Mamet leans back to kiss him on the cheek.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Still, the changes also reinforce that the Hulu brand, far from going away, is likely to become more important to Disney in the future, as the company globalizes its streaming platform and leans more into general entertainment alongside its genre fare.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Seventeen years later, the sequel leans into both nostalgia and generational déjà vu.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 2 Oct. 2025
Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Their latest installment leans into a moody, underground vibe — think poker tables, pool halls and old-school paperboy caps — while showcasing the company’s signature blend of contemporary and commercial styles.
—Sean Erwin, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
The list that follows leans mostly toward dives with history, little gems that cater to a wider range of ages and offer more to the palate than cheap beer.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The Mercer 41 sleeper sofa—made to fit two guests quite comfortably—channels a Bauhaus vibe with its metal frame, and the green corduroy upholstery leans into today’s penchant for all things ’70s.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
The tap or snap leans into Craig’s submission prowess.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer and entrepreneur, who at times leans into pop, has been a mainstay in my household for years.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
The first full week of October leans into spooky season hard, with the new season of Ryan Murphy's Monster and cool-looking thrills from all over the globe.
—PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Except for a few shots of China’s President Xi presiding over a military parade, the film’s image of totalitarianism leans far more toward right-wing regimes; to leave out Mao, or Castro, feels like a mistake.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
As Swift increasingly leans into confessional and explicit themes, her music continues to shape conversation around celebrity, relationships and female empowerment.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This sleek option from Walker Edison leans modern with its ultra-thin legs.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 2025
Cook says the race currently leans Republican.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Mamet leans back to kiss him on the cheek.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Still, the changes also reinforce that the Hulu brand, far from going away, is likely to become more important to Disney in the future, as the company globalizes its streaming platform and leans more into general entertainment alongside its genre fare.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Seventeen years later, the sequel leans into both nostalgia and generational déjà vu.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
The color palette of Lounge’s fall 2025 collection leans into autumn with shades of tan, cherry, chocolate and black, showcased across a range of textures that include brushed alpaca, sculpted denim, and sheer fabrics.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Their latest installment leans into a moody, underground vibe — think poker tables, pool halls and old-school paperboy caps — while showcasing the company’s signature blend of contemporary and commercial styles.
—Sean Erwin, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
The list that follows leans mostly toward dives with history, little gems that cater to a wider range of ages and offer more to the palate than cheap beer.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
The Mercer 41 sleeper sofa—made to fit two guests quite comfortably—channels a Bauhaus vibe with its metal frame, and the green corduroy upholstery leans into today’s penchant for all things ’70s.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
The tap or snap leans into Craig’s submission prowess.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer and entrepreneur, who at times leans into pop, has been a mainstay in my household for years.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans
Verb
-
The screenwriter, Nora Garrett, has achieved an amusingly florid Hollywood simulacrum—one that tilts into knowing parody—of an intensely self-regarding world.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
There’s an action and then a reaction, as if the gravity of his presence tilts the opposition’s structure in his direction.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Back in 2013, NC State pulled off a stunning men’s college basketball upset against Duke and, as tends to be the case when teams beat Duke, the fans ran onto the court.—
Will Leitch,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
And, as Germany ran large trade surpluses — something that tends to push up the value of a currency — German exports may have benefited from a weaker currency than the country otherwise would have had.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The entrepreneurs behind Grill Rescue, a grill-cleaning tool that relies on steam cleaning rather than wire bristles, have only been advertising on Fox News Channel for a few weeks.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Among the most coveted customers for big AI model developers are coding startups like Anysphere, maker of the popular coding tool Cursor, which relies heavily on Anthropic’s Claude and recently cemented a partnership with OpenAI.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In January, Unitree showcased its G1 robot’s smooth walking and running system, demonstrating agility, stability, and precise control on inclines and uneven terrain.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Testers experimented with different speeds, inclines, and other features to determine the versatility, durability, and comfort of the machines.—
Claire Harmeyer,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Achieving cost parity with China for batteries requires production at scale, and that scale depends on strong, sustained demand for EVs, the largest battery consumer.—
Rebecca A. Fannin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
And the media dollars and sponsorship money that power the growth of the sport depends on those fans.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And for those hoping to spend some time swooshing down the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, a $20 million penthouse at Utah‘s uber-luxe Montage Deer Valley may be just the ticket.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The other is much larger and exists on the western slopes of the mountain ranges bordering the Pacific from Alaska southward to Northern California.—
Worth Matthewson,
Outdoor Life,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
LaCombe, who played forward in his youth, has shown great improvement in his own end but still has the offensive inclinations to be a point producer.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
While the corrupt scheme was well documented journalistically and much of the evidence is indicative, ultimately Argentina's Judiciary followed its political inclinations all the way to the top.—
Agustino Fontevecchia,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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