as in influence
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
lacking much of the leverage it once had, the union is now being forced to make some concessions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to use
to take unfair advantage of
a reality show contestant who's trying to leverage her 15 minutes of fame
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leverage
Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
The use of these otherwise unremarkable studio and one-bedroom apartments was yet another of the many favors Epstein bestowed to gain leverage over people and keep them in his debt.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 13 Feb. 2026
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
Epstein wasted no time in trying to leverage Kimbal Musk’s new romance to his advantage, and nudge his way into Elon Musk’s orbit.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leverage
Noun
Perhaps the Dolphins can use the leaguewide defensive trend as leverage in free-agent quarterback negotiations.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
The use of these otherwise unremarkable studio and one-bedroom apartments was yet another of the many favors Epstein bestowed to gain leverage over people and keep them in his debt.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Kohler is charged with leveraging his retail and client expertise to further accelerate the group’s ambitions.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
Epstein wasted no time in trying to leverage Kimbal Musk’s new romance to his advantage, and nudge his way into Elon Musk’s orbit.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leverage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leverage
Noun
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Still, a flurry of moves during the summer window made LAFC among the obvious favorites to compete for the league championship, primarily because Son’s influence made Cherundolo’s defend-and-transition tactics lethal.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Using their financial resources and political influence, opponents worked to sow confusion, cast doubt on the proposal, and stall the bill.—
Shane Strum,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Eco effort The hotel uses solar power and has complimentary electric vehicle charging stations, in addition to offering glass bottles of water and several water stations.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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Officials are also trying to make sure that the electronic logging devices drivers use are accurate, and that states are following all the regulations to ensure drivers are qualified to get commercial licenses.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And there’s working with people who are not exactly palatable, but who have significant sway in the region—like Dan Gertler, a billionaire Israeli businessman whose name has long been a byword for shady deals in Congo.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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Holding sway upstairs are four bedrooms, including a luxe primary suite with a fireplace, balcony, and dual walk-in closets and baths.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Republicans understand this gap and are exploiting it ruthlessly.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Feb. 2026
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Investigators believe the husband ruthlessly exploited his wife on a large scale, prosecutor Ida Annerstedt said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fix it Melissa Kingston, who serves as City Plan Commissioner for District 14, which includes parts of downtown and Uptown, said Saturday the report was deliberately manipulated to justify demolition rather than preservation.—
Nick Wooten,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Bills in the House and Senate would ban attempts to manipulate or alter the weather, like cloud seeding.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Construction is set to begin on a new center in Morgan Hill for abused and neglected children and their families next month.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Once installed, NexShield immediately starts abusing Chrome or Edge in the background.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leverage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leverage. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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