LEANS (TOWARD OR TOWARDS) Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

leans (toward or towards)

verb

present tense third-person singular of lean (toward or towards)

as in prefers

to show partiality toward I'm leaning toward sausage on our pizza tonight—we got pepperoni the last three times

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans (toward or towards)

Verb

Liebman, however, prefers a different approach — a focus on total return.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
But these four stood out, especially because they were caught on camera and quickly raced across social media, not the kind of viral moments the NFL prefers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of prefers

Verb

Sanabria likes to point out that no one currently sitting on the City Commission has endorsed him.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
Widow’s Bay co-stars Kate O’Flynn as Patricia Moyer, a social outcast who works as Tom’s assistant and is convinced no one likes her — in part because very few people do.

— Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of likes

Verb

The tensions have been a setback for Lee, who favors engagement with North Korea and has tempered his rhetoric toward the North even as public anger grows over the mine blasts.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
The restaurant’s most distinctive plates can be hard to spot on a menu that favors familiar choices; diners may need Pirshirazi’s guidance to find them.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of favors

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.

Browse Nearby Words

leans (on or against)

leans (toward or towards)

lean-to

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“Leans (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of leans (toward or towards)

verb

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