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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of leans
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Meals are included—dinner at the Rustic Grill leans into comfort food done well, with plenty of shareable dishes, while breakfast and brunch feel more flexible.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2026
The vibe here is 100% North Woods, and there’s a straightforward supper club side to the menu, but there’s also a portion that leans Mediterranean, specifically Greek.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026
And unlike previous seasons, which only hinted at Los Angeles, the show leans into the Hollywood glitz, shooting one scene at industry mainstay the Peninsula Beverly Hills, where Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) go to see and be seen.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
With an attic of husbands to cast over eight episodes, Apple and A24 have put together an impressive lineup, which leans heavily on British talent.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Pad Thai leans slightly sweet before the heat pulls it back.
—Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
The accompanying video, which was shot in the punishing heat of rural Western Australia, leans into the project’s off-kilter visual language with dust, engines and chaos.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 Apr. 2026
Rather than making meaningful structural changes, this budget leans heavily on temporary solutions.
—Jason Gallion, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Affia’s catalog leans into science fiction and fantasy stories centered on Black characters.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Tronque’s formula harnesses green coffee and caffeine to help support skin elasticity, while Cyklar’s blend leans into barrier care with ceramides, urea, and squalane.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Even if Project Hail Mary at times leans into the sentiment to an almost saccharine degree, the movie’s natural sweetness is disarming.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
No one is competing for attention—the aesthetic leans East Coast understated luxury, with linen sets, oversized sun hats, and Hermès slides rather than logo-forward designer pieces—but most guests dress just polished enough to match the surrounding setting.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026
Compared to traditional date-night cuisine, Hart’s limited menu leans into pungent ingredients like anchovies, garlic and blue cheese.
—Julian Torres, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Dressed in a plaid button up, the 41-year-old leans into a digital camera on a tripod, with a long telephoto lens pointed toward that plane, and slowly counts.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Instead of tomato, this crowd favorite leans into its winter white moment with a rich homemade white sauce made from butter, flour, garlic, and whole milk.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
This Southern Whiskey-Cola Cake leans into the vanilla and warm spice flavor of the classic drink.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Meals are included—dinner at the Rustic Grill leans into comfort food done well, with plenty of shareable dishes, while breakfast and brunch feel more flexible.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2026
The vibe here is 100% North Woods, and there’s a straightforward supper club side to the menu, but there’s also a portion that leans Mediterranean, specifically Greek.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026
And unlike previous seasons, which only hinted at Los Angeles, the show leans into the Hollywood glitz, shooting one scene at industry mainstay the Peninsula Beverly Hills, where Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) go to see and be seen.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
With an attic of husbands to cast over eight episodes, Apple and A24 have put together an impressive lineup, which leans heavily on British talent.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Pad Thai leans slightly sweet before the heat pulls it back.
—Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
The accompanying video, which was shot in the punishing heat of rural Western Australia, leans into the project’s off-kilter visual language with dust, engines and chaos.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 Apr. 2026
Rather than making meaningful structural changes, this budget leans heavily on temporary solutions.
—Jason Gallion, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
The official property listing leans into the rarity of the apartment’s layout and its position high above the city.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Affia’s catalog leans into science fiction and fantasy stories centered on Black characters.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Tronque’s formula harnesses green coffee and caffeine to help support skin elasticity, while Cyklar’s blend leans into barrier care with ceramides, urea, and squalane.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Even if Project Hail Mary at times leans into the sentiment to an almost saccharine degree, the movie’s natural sweetness is disarming.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
No one is competing for attention—the aesthetic leans East Coast understated luxury, with linen sets, oversized sun hats, and Hermès slides rather than logo-forward designer pieces—but most guests dress just polished enough to match the surrounding setting.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026
Compared to traditional date-night cuisine, Hart’s limited menu leans into pungent ingredients like anchovies, garlic and blue cheese.
—Julian Torres, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Dressed in a plaid button up, the 41-year-old leans into a digital camera on a tripod, with a long telephoto lens pointed toward that plane, and slowly counts.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Instead of tomato, this crowd favorite leans into its winter white moment with a rich homemade white sauce made from butter, flour, garlic, and whole milk.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans
Verb
-
Are their head tilts just subconscious at this point?—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Mowing your lawn at a 4-inch height rather than scalping it at 2-inches tall tilts the competitive advantage in favor of the grass over the weeds.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And just as Chamberlain’s personal style of home decor—as shown over the years in YouTube home tours and on the influencer's own social media—tends to embrace a quirky and kitschy aesthetic, so too does this new collection.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Raves unfold in public spaces and the music derived from the culture’s myriad scenes tends to be social in nature.—
Mark Richardson,
Pitchfork,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Given Luna’s lack of physical form, the system relies on human employees to operate the shop and interact with customers.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The company relies on the US government for the largest share of its revenue, with contracts worth close to $900 million with the Pentagon last year, along with smaller contracts for ICE, as well as Treasury and other government agencies, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Government.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The story follows struggling creatives navigating debt, eviction threats and a precarious gig economy, visualized in Riley’s inventive style — from looming piles of eviction notices to characters literally struggling up and down steep inclines that mirror the instability of their lives.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Servicing a mountainous areas like Escondido drives up costs, as an expensive network of pipes and pump stations is needed to move water up and down considerable inclines, said Kyle Morgan, the city’s acting director of utilities and wastewater.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Safer travel can be found on lower-angle terrain, generally slopes less than 30 degrees, particularly in areas sheltered from the wind.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
One of my favorite choices is developing a dry creek bed that slopes away from a home's foundation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But when the account balance is empty or close to it, the outcome depends on timing, the type of debt and the rules governing the levy.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
There is no doubt that the fate of Hezbollah depends largely on the longer-term settlement of the Iran war and its effect on the associated operation in Lebanon’s south.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Even in the present tense, the characters express no political opinions, taste in movies and music, hobbies—or backstories that shape such inclinations.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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