lean in
verb
leaned in; leaning in; leans in
: to persevere in spite of risk or difficulty
Then there's the racial justice crisis and making sure that we are leaning in during this time of recovery and crisis into the very important conversations around diversity and inclusion.—
Laura Fuentes, quoted in Washington (D.C.) Business Journal
Laura Fuentes, quoted in Washington (D.C.) Business JournalAttending college began as a time of "leaning in," because it took courage to attend a large campus without much parental support and no friends attending with me.—Sue Nokes
Sue NokesExamples of lean in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So if something feels off or a little dramatic today, take it as a cue to lean in and notice what’s unfolding around you.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Danny leaned in, said something to me.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Mumbai, India — Naveena Vanamala sits very still as her makeup artist leans in close, carefully pressing tiny white dots of pigment in an arc above her brows on the most important day of her life.
—Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Her solo project, Not For Radio, leans in a different direction, more experimental and stripped-back.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean in
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Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Danny leaned in, said something to me.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Mumbai, India — Naveena Vanamala sits very still as her makeup artist leans in close, carefully pressing tiny white dots of pigment in an arc above her brows on the most important day of her life.
—Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Her solo project, Not For Radio, leans in a different direction, more experimental and stripped-back.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lean in
Cite this Entry
“Lean in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20in. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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