1
as in to tilt
to set or cause to be at an angle
just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
all of the marathoners are extremely lean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon
the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 lean
Dj Van Keuren, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Nothing is better than leaning back in your beach chair, opening up a cold beverage, and diving into a new book while digging your toes into the sand and feeling salt air on your face.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
The agency was already lean and had a plan to be more efficient.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
In Europe, the German publishing giant’s media holdings are known for their conservative lean.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Verb
Here are six core risks—and how family offices can turn them into opportunities:
Concentration Risk
Too many portfolios lean heavily into a single property type, location or operator.
—Dj Van Keuren, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Nothing is better than leaning back in your beach chair, opening up a cold beverage, and diving into a new book while digging your toes into the sand and feeling salt air on your face.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Adjective
One thing the brand does successfully, though, is lean into its European identity, especially the Italian flair of its founders.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
The agency was already lean and had a plan to be more efficient.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
The show’s perspective, it’s got a cultural lean to it, and that’s one of the positive things about being involved.
—Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
In Europe, the German publishing giant’s media holdings are known for their conservative lean.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean
Verb
-
Midway through the period, though, the ice started to tilt in the other direction.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
-
Players gain Hope points to activate special abilities and tilt the odds in their favor.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
In practice, the marketing language around these tools tends not to capture the ways that actual humans use them.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2025
-
The way in which these things tend to develop is that a certain amount of energy is accumulated, the conditions for negotiation manifest and then politics and power make the move.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Cats rely more on scent than sight to navigate their environment, with their powerful noses helping them in bonding, hunting, mating, and exploring.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
-
Cox, who is a property manager at a real estate company in Globe, has tenants who rely on the safety-net program.—
Noam Levey,
NPR,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The teens proceeded to go skinny dipping, and upon emerging from the water, Abdela was freezing.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
23 May 2025
-
Dyson has officially unveiled its skinniest vacuum yet: the new PencilVac, which measures just 38mm in diameter.—
Paul Lamkin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Fortunately, the view from the top still hits me like a surprise every time: the hills of Mexico to the south, the coastline to the west, the miles of undeveloped slopes and valleys to the north.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
-
According to new research published Monday in the journal Nature Communications, these slopes are dry, likely due to layers of fine dust suddenly sliding off steep terrain.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
The nylon bristles are angled to ensure that strands migrate to the side of the cleaner head rather than getting wrapped around or tangled in the brush bar.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
-
Rather than build on a north-south axis, Frank angled the more than 5,000-square-foot steel-beam structure to run from the southeast to northwest on its corner parcel, with everything flaring out from a spacious central hub.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Their appearance and length of time in the sky depends on the temperature, humidity, wind speed and altitude, according to the National Weather Service.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 May 2025
-
How much to thin out your seedlings in your garden depends on how far apart the mature plants should be for optimal growth.—
Viveka Neveln,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
While Paul is still remarkably good for someone at his experience level, the novelty of his act has been wearing thin.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
-
And was there ever, complete with Angus Young, knobby knees and thin ankles, scampering, duck-walking and hopping from place to place.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share