lean on

verb

leaned on; leaning on; leans on

transitive verb

: to apply pressure to
They were leaning on the governor to pass the law.

Examples of lean on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the Trump administration has leaned on other countries to take them. Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 Through the first two games of this series, the New York Knicks primarily leaned on Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride when turning to their bench. Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 Nick’s best friend, Andrew, leans on the shier, nerdier side and is navigating puberty while dealing with his less-than-approving parents and approving-in-all-the-wrong-ways hormone monster, Maury. Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 23 May 2025 Republicans are leaning on a process known as budget reconciliation to avoid the 60-vote threshold normally required to advance legislation in the Senate. Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lean on

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lean on was circa 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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