lease 1 of 2

Definition of leasenext

lease

2 of 2

verb

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

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

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

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
Noun
Provide at least two lease or purchase options for new locations for 311, 911 and emergency operations as well as all other City Hall staffing functions. Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026 His new lease on life includes a one-year, $4 million contract to pitch for the Angels this season. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Under the Chapter 100 funding structure approved Monday night, the city would hold ownership of the property and lease it back to the developer. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026 Used as a rental property, the house can’t be leased now because the owners aren’t sure that tenants won’t be harmed. Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lease
Noun
  • These properties allow the sensors to remain hyper-sensitive to temperature shifts despite their microscopic scale.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The medium that the signal travels through alters the signal’s properties as well, as an oncoming train sounds different from the air, with your ear to the ground, or from submerged in a body of water.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Those looking to get beyond the most popular spots can rent a boat and explore on their own, or hire a private charter to explore the remote shores that few visitors see.
    Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Once that’s done, Boise will have added some 360 acres of industrial buildings since 2022, most of it built to rent without a specific tenant in mind.
    Mark Dee March 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Second, severe winter storms likely put a big damper on hiring in weather-sensitive industries like construction and leisure and hospitality.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Mass layoffs in the tech industry started in 2022, after a hiring surge during the pandemic, when demand for online services increased as people were stuck at home.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • With the state funding, the nonprofit could help meet a dire need for emergency shelter in Austin by building 325 new shelter beds on a seven acre tract, also owned by the state, adjacent to the current Esperanza community.
    Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Its purpose was to block the construction of an oil pipeline slated to run along that narrow tract of land.
    Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Unable to raise budgets as fast as populations, some cities slowed or stalled new development, rather than depress services to existing taxpayers.
    Mark Dee March 6, Idaho Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The sports facility would be the first major development under the 2021 plan.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lease. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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