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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in relies

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Best Color Statement Mallory is the most graphic pick here, a chunky wool geometric that leans abstract. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 Sep. 2026 The assortment leans to luxury goods from around the world and encompasses fashion, jewelry, beauty, accessories, gastronomy, furniture and books. — David Moin, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026 Given the country singer’s presence, the music leans into the genre with softer, twangier strings that lift the effortless harmonies from the two singers. — Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026 The menu leans into old-school continental classics, and everything is suitable for sharing. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 The 2026 lineup leans into several trends, with women telling personal stories in their own voices, animation arriving with what Tasveer described as real force, and filmmakers increasingly favoring images over exposition. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 Because of this tilt, there are times when part of our planet leans toward the sun while the other part of the planet faces away, according to NCEI. — Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2026 At Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, with three locations in the Des Moines metro and nine more from Colorado to Illinois, Whalen leans firmly to the cream side. — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 22 Sep. 2026 The directive, reported earlier by The New York Times, leans heavily on a dissenting opinion from former Justice Antonin Scalia in a 1995 Supreme Court case. — Matthew Brown, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Noun

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 But this version of Zorro leans instead into broad comedy and an even broader vintage aesthetic including day-for-night shooting and a general soft-focus haze. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans

Verb

If Mensah or Manning or Moore play consistently in big games and the playoffs, then the argument, in my view, tilts from Smith to one of the quarterbacks – if Willis doesn’t prove franchise QB-worthy in the months ahead.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
The time points to the moment when the Earth tilts equally toward and away from the Sun and brings nearly equal amounts of daylight to all latitudes.

— Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of tilts

Verb

Penix also tends to throw for more yards and touchdowns while turning the ball over less and taking fewer sacks.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Around the spring and autumn equinoxes, geomagnetic activity tends to increase thanks in part to the Russell-McPherron effect.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of tends

Verb

France targets high-performance magnet production The Grenoble achievement comes at a time when Europe relies heavily on China for rare-earth materials and permanent magnets used in strategic industries.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Traction on social media is key for a documentary release, which relies on word-of-mouth in a way a big-budget feature doesn’t.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of relies

Noun

Cows amble in the distance along the inclines of meadows; their grazing helps control invasive plants.

— Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
Bert McCarty, a Clemson University professor of turfgrass science and management, said golfers like how top courses are so different — from incorporating the ocean in places near beaches to relying on inclines in the mountains.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of inclines

Verb

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
In rivers and streams in Virginia and Maryland, Hack measured the length of each stream and the area of the land that slopes toward that stream and therefore drains into it, called its basin or drainage area.

— Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of slopes

Verb

The size of the gravel used in your patching material depends on the thickness of the patch.

— Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
The spreadsheet that one person understands, saved on one laptop, holding together a process the whole company depends on.

— Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of depends

Noun

The trustees feared that if something happened to him, his heir apparent, Robert Kahn, would replace him, and it was known that Kahn had Zionistic inclinations.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Putin will eventually leave office, whether by death, illness, or—against all observable inclinations—stepping aside.

— Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026