1
as in tendencies
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the news media are often accused of having liberal leanings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in inclinations
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
despite what his athletic leanings might suggest, he was actually a very lazy kid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leanings
She surely was also exposed to Madame Charlotte Mentelle’s feminist beliefs and abolitionist leanings.
—
Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Obviously, political pressure and Hollywood's ideological leanings could lead to a total rethink of the character to take it further away from what book author Ian Fleming intended.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
The winner will almost certainly take the November general election because of the state's Republican leanings.
—ABC News, 15 May 2026
Clearly Laverty and Céspedes have strong humanist leanings.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
However, selling a rate cut with inflation north of 3% will be a difficult job, particularly considering the leanings of the current committee structure.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Call them my best guesses based on a combination of team need, my sense for team leanings and amateur scouting department preferences, the consensus and my info gathering.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Ellison’s political leanings and close ties to Trump could explain why news of his FCC ask hasn’t triggered the usual Muslim-scare fare from folks like Arroyo.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Obviously, political pressure and Hollywood's ideological leanings could lead to a total rethink of the character to take it further away from what book author Ian Fleming intended.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
The winner will almost certainly take the November general election because of the state's Republican leanings.
—ABC News, 15 May 2026
Clearly Laverty and Céspedes have strong humanist leanings.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
However, selling a rate cut with inflation north of 3% will be a difficult job, particularly considering the leanings of the current committee structure.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Call them my best guesses based on a combination of team need, my sense for team leanings and amateur scouting department preferences, the consensus and my info gathering.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Ellison’s political leanings and close ties to Trump could explain why news of his FCC ask hasn’t triggered the usual Muslim-scare fare from folks like Arroyo.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings
Noun
-
But over time, these tendencies have taken their toll.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The movie only hints at the underlying social tendencies that a populist exploits.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The ability to create offense individually, put pressure on the rim and set up stationary shooters — as much as such violates Kerr’s inclinations — have become necessary to beat good modern defenses.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
Who knew that such daring would lead to a film that avoids these inclinations entirely, especially one that could have so easily leaned into controversial territory?—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Analysts and journalists have used aggregate EEO-1 data to conduct research and provide insights into workforce trends across job categories, industries and regions.—
Michelle Travis,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Public safety dominated the exchange, with sharp disagreements over crime trends, law enforcement authority and the role sheriffs should play in statewide policy.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Senators have held on in elections amid their states' shifting political tides in the past, but usually their luck eventually runs out — as evidenced by the ouster of former Democratic Sens.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
-
The calm waters and dramatic high and low tides are perfect for beach lovers of all ages.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
While tons of beauty professionals have ties, affinities, and contractual obligations with designer brands, many swear by drugstore or equally accessible products to get their clients star-worthy outcomes.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
11 May 2026
-
Its formal and ontological affinities with dysfunction, fragmentation, and violence would seem to render that debt proverbial to the point of cliché.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Striping, an optical illusion, comes from the color differences of grass blades bending in opposite directions.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
-
Ramsbottom was at his desk when the drone smashed through the workspace's tin ceiling, spraying shrapnel in all directions, and lodging a chunk of glass in the back of his head.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leanings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leanings. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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