LEANS (ON OR AGAINST) Synonyms: 20 Similar Words

leans (on or against)

verb

present tense third-person singular of lean (on or against)

as in bears (down)

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans (on or against)

Verb

The order blocks the government from removing additional trees and compels advance notice before the government irreversibly alters more of the course.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Penny’s passion compels her – unbeknownst to her controlling husband James – to get a job on the Network, filling a vacancy while co-host Cybil (Mann) is off work.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of compels

Verb

Panthers receiver Cataurus Hicks comes down with it and muscles his way forward in an attempt to get into the end zone.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
One year later, the XFL muscles its way onto the national sports scene with its first two games.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026

Definition of muscles

Verb

Some of these interview subjects are performers, or at least people with years of experience talking to the press or appearing in the public eye, which forces viewers to engage in guesswork.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2026
Plot is the specific sequence of events that forces her through those obstacles.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of forces

Verb

Fundamentally, this problem stems from science’s publish-or-perish culture, which pressures academics to constantly publish papers in prestigious journals to secure funding and advance their careers.

— Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2026
The majority of his night was spent scrambling from a Seahawks defense that pressures the quarterback at the third-highest rate in the league.

— Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of pressures

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leans

leans (on or against)

leans (toward or towards)

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“Leans (on or against).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans%20%28on%20or%20against%29. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of leans (on or against)

verb

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