Synonyms of lease

lease 1 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

• rent
• sublease
• let
• hire
• charter
• sublet
• lodge
• engage
• rack-rent

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

• rent
• hire
• charter
• sublease
• engage
• sublet
• book
• check out
• arrange (for)
• contract (for)
• reserve
• order
• sign up (for)
• bespeak

lease

2 of 2

noun

as in property

Related Words

• property
• tract
• development
• plot
• parcel
• plat
• lot
• frontage
• real estate
• patch

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

Recent Examples of lease

Verb

The Dallas Stars are considering a move outside city limits when their lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031. —Rob Rossi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025

By comparison, the last large-scale lease sale in the Powder River Basin, also for 167 million tons of coal, drew a bid of $35 million in 2013. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025

Noun

The city leased both systems to PRT and made the transit company responsible for their maintenance. —Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025

When a customer leases an EV through the program, their payment reflects application of the tax credit and the finance company gets reimbursed. —Jackie Charniga, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025