Examples of lean and mean in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Given the makeup of the new Pac-12, which is lean and mean by design, any team that emerges with a conference title and fewer than three losses will be in contention for that CFP berth.
—
Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The big story China is taking a lean and mean approach to artificial intelligence as the tech rivalry with the U.S. intensifies.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Elvis, in the early ’70s, was still relatively lean and mean, and still incandescent to look at.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Some are effectively lean and mean, like the narratively spare Open Water in 2003, or The Shallows from 2016, which is basically Blake Lively in a bikini being circled on a rock by a great white for 90 minutes.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
The first two seasons were lean and mean at six episodes apiece, which allowed the creative team (these days led by showrunner John Wirth) to adapt Hillerman’s books without dragging things out.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2025
Fox has stayed lean and mean since selling most of its assets to Disney.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 10 Jan. 2025
Today’s edition is lean and mean, given *waves hand around in the air.
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2024
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Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The big story China is taking a lean and mean approach to artificial intelligence as the tech rivalry with the U.S. intensifies.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Elvis, in the early ’70s, was still relatively lean and mean, and still incandescent to look at.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Some are effectively lean and mean, like the narratively spare Open Water in 2003, or The Shallows from 2016, which is basically Blake Lively in a bikini being circled on a rock by a great white for 90 minutes.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
The first two seasons were lean and mean at six episodes apiece, which allowed the creative team (these days led by showrunner John Wirth) to adapt Hillerman’s books without dragging things out.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2025
Fox has stayed lean and mean since selling most of its assets to Disney.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 10 Jan. 2025
Today’s edition is lean and mean, given *waves hand around in the air.
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Lean and mean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20and%20mean. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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