leaked; leaking; leaks
1
a
: to enter or escape through an opening usually by a fault or mistake
fumes leak in
b
: to let a substance or light in or out through an opening
The roof was leaking.
2
a
: to become known despite efforts at concealment
confidential information leaked out
b
: to be the source of an information leak
1
: to permit to enter or escape through or as if through a leak
The roof leaks water.
2
: to give out (information) surreptitiously
leaked the story to the press
1
a
: a crack or hole that usually by mistake admits or lets escape
b
: something that permits the admission or escape of something else usually with prejudicial effect
2
: the act, process, or an instance of leaking
3
sometimes vulgar
: an act of urinating
—used especially in the phrase take a leak
Examples of leak in a Sentence
Verb
The boat was leaking water.
The cracked pipe leaked fumes into the room.
Fumes leaked through the crack in the pipe.
Air leaked out of the tire.
Water was leaking through a hole in the roof.
Someone leaked the story to the press.
Noun
The boat had developed a bad leak.
The landlord said he would fix the leak in the roof.
a slow leak of the chemical
When a reporter revealed classified information, the source of the leak was investigated.
Security is high because of a fear of leaks before negotiations have been finished.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
My previous water bottles, including my Stanley tumbler, all had fatal flaws, such as leaking lids and no insulation to keep my water cold, which prevented me from reaching my daily hydration goals.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
Smart home devices that track humidity and detect leaks can also provide early warnings before mold becomes visible.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leak
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Earlier this year, sensitive information about the security detail the Honduran government granted Zúñiga’s family after her mother’s death was leaked, signaling that nearly a decade after her mother’s high-profile killing, her family was still at risk.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
My previous water bottles, including my Stanley tumbler, all had fatal flaws, such as leaking lids and no insulation to keep my water cold, which prevented me from reaching my daily hydration goals.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
But the truth is, debt is one of the biggest leaks in our financial buckets.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
Smart home devices that track humidity and detect leaks can also provide early warnings before mold becomes visible.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leak
Cite this Entry
“Leak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leak. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leak
1 of 2 verb1
: to enter or escape or permit to enter or escape accidentally or by mistake
fumes leaked in
the secret leaked out
2
: to give out information secretly
leaked the story to the press
leak
2 of 2 noun1
: something and especially a crack or hole that lets something in or out usually accidentally
2
: leakage
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