as in prefers
to show partiality toward
I'm leaning toward sausage on our pizza tonight—we got pepperoni the last three times
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans (toward or towards)
Verb
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The 56-year-old politician presents himself as an amiable northern everyman who prefers T-shirts to a suit and tie and spends spare time playing soccer or spinning 1990s tunes during DJ battles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 June 2026 -
Just keep in mind that sage prefers to be grown in relatively dry soil and works best as a companion for plants with similar care needs, such as carrots, tomatoes, and brassicas.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Verb
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But not every player likes them.—
Adam Annaccone,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
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To rinse the condenser coils, Traub likes to use a garden hose—never a pressure washer—from the inside out, going from top to bottom and side-to-side for the most effective clean.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Catherine Bracy, the CEO of TechEquity, a tech advocacy group that favors stronger AI regulations, speculated that the Anthropic employees were receiving advice to back Becerra because of his frontrunner status.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
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When plants are set too close together, air circulation is diminished, which encourages a more humid plant canopy that favors disease.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Rosie Randisi Presiding over one end of the resort’s iconic, 140-foot freshwater pool, the spa enjoys pride of place within the exuberant greenery of the 32-acre estate in the island’s pastoral north, far removed from Ibiza’s nightlife reputation.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has become associated with the wand, and Vasil enjoys giving the Japanese media something to write about, especially with Murakami sidelined.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Leans (toward or towards).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans%20%28toward%20or%20towards%29. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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