lease 1 of 2

1
as in to rent
to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment the landlord was willing to lease the apartment for less than we had expected

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum I couldn't afford to buy a car outright, so I decided to lease one instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

lease

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lease different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lease are charter, hire, let, and rent. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

When would charter be a good substitute for lease?

In some situations, the words charter and lease are roughly equivalent. However, charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of lease?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

In what contexts can rent take the place of lease?

Although the words rent and lease have much in common, rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

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 lease
Verb
The State Building Commission approved July 31 a rent-free lease of a parking lot parcel to Boring Co. to launch a tunnel-boring machine. Stuart Dyos, The Tennessean, 12 Aug. 2025 During that time, the property owner told him the space’s lease would be up soon. Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
In today’s market — where interest rates remain elevated and property values are still adjusting — the cost of ownership is often more expensive than leasing. Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2025 The units, which have already been leased out, are geared toward providing affordable housing for teachers and local families, and residents are preparing to move in. Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lease
Verb
  • Instead, rent a bike or golf cart and embrace the 25-mile-per-hour island-wide speed limit.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025
  • One of Perrin’s neighbors even rented them her house just a few doors down.
    Jordan Greene, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Tarrant County Commissioners Court on Tuesday will consider hiring a lawyer at the center of a controversy in Keller ISD to represent District Clerk Tom Wilder in a second petition calling for his removal.
    Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2025
  • He was hired as an internal auditor in 1999 before taking on leadership positions of increasing authority, including budget and research director, deputy city manager and assistant city manager.
    Shawn Raymundo, AZCentral.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The man, a Mexican national, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a federal officer, assaulting a federal officer resulting in bodily injury and destruction of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
    Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Bondi also announced the seizure of over $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, nine vehicles, and several properties.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The Dead to Me actress shared that doctors thought her condition could be a urinary tract infection, and questioned her wiping technique.
    Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Penicillin and closely related antibiotics such as amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate, which goes by the brand name Augmentin, are frequently prescribed to treat common infections such as ear infections, strep throat, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and dental infections.
    Elizabeth W. Covington, The Conversation, 31 July 2025
Noun
  • Learn to adapt or choose to ignore these developments.
    James DiNardo, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • But the nearest thing to a glimmer of a positive would be that the fast development of COVID-19 vaccines helped prevent many more deaths and led to rapid progress in our understanding and use of mRNA technology.
    Simon Williams, Time, 15 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lease. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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