1
as in tilts
to set or cause to be at an angle
just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inclines
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
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Recent Examples of leans
Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
The solo show leans into psychological suspense, asking the audience to follow Elliott as obsession, fear and creativity begin to overlap.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Donation patterns show that federal-employee giving leans heavily Democratic.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The redesign, led by Olga Polizzi, the brand’s design director and sister of Sir Rocco Forte, in collaboration with Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino, leans into the hotel’s midcentury roots.
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2026
The script leans heavily on exposition — internal monologues, disembodied intercom voices, and hallucinatory flashbacks — to communicate lore that might have resonated more powerfully through action or environment.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Expensive This elevated, woody take on matcha leans clean and refined.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
Her personal preference leans slightly richer, in the direction of Sherwin-Williams’ Dried Thyme, a shade with enough depth to make a statement without sacrificing quietude.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
The atmosphere leans playful and social, pairing communal reactions with drink and food specials that keep the night moving well beyond the final reveal.
—Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Instead of tomato, this crowd favorite leans into its winter white moment with a rich homemade white sauce made from butter, flour, garlic, and whole milk.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
The menu goes beyond basic survival food and leans into the show's reward challenges, giving fans a literal taste of what contestants eat in Fiji.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Chef/partner Sohui Kim’s menu leans into steakhouse classics like New York strip steak and shrimp cocktail, but there are more modern touches here too like clams kimsino made with bacon-kimchi butter, and crispy hen of the woods mushrooms with black garlic aioli and house Sriracha.
—Devra Ferst, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
At times, poetcore leans into hipster territory.
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
The Sade Girl aesthetic leans into this style but embraces the singer’s sultry look—think effortless and chic.
—Essence, 16 Jan. 2026
There's something for everyone, whether your aesthetic leans neutral, bold, or somewhere in between.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Jan. 2026
The great news is there's a style for everyone, whether your aesthetic leans rustic, mod, colorful, and beyond.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
Verb
Saodimallsu Off-the-shoulder Maxi Dress Romantic without feeling overdone, this off-the-shoulder maxi dress leans into soft, feminine details.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
The solo show leans into psychological suspense, asking the audience to follow Elliott as obsession, fear and creativity begin to overlap.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Donation patterns show that federal-employee giving leans heavily Democratic.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The redesign, led by Olga Polizzi, the brand’s design director and sister of Sir Rocco Forte, in collaboration with Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino, leans into the hotel’s midcentury roots.
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2026
The script leans heavily on exposition — internal monologues, disembodied intercom voices, and hallucinatory flashbacks — to communicate lore that might have resonated more powerfully through action or environment.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Expensive This elevated, woody take on matcha leans clean and refined.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
Her personal preference leans slightly richer, in the direction of Sherwin-Williams’ Dried Thyme, a shade with enough depth to make a statement without sacrificing quietude.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
The atmosphere leans playful and social, pairing communal reactions with drink and food specials that keep the night moving well beyond the final reveal.
—Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Dressed in a plaid button up, the 41-year-old leans into a digital camera on a tripod, with a long telephoto lens pointed toward that plane, and slowly counts.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Instead of tomato, this crowd favorite leans into its winter white moment with a rich homemade white sauce made from butter, flour, garlic, and whole milk.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
The menu goes beyond basic survival food and leans into the show's reward challenges, giving fans a literal taste of what contestants eat in Fiji.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Chef/partner Sohui Kim’s menu leans into steakhouse classics like New York strip steak and shrimp cocktail, but there are more modern touches here too like clams kimsino made with bacon-kimchi butter, and crispy hen of the woods mushrooms with black garlic aioli and house Sriracha.
—Devra Ferst, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
At times, poetcore leans into hipster territory.
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
The Sade Girl aesthetic leans into this style but embraces the singer’s sultry look—think effortless and chic.
—Essence, 16 Jan. 2026
There's something for everyone, whether your aesthetic leans neutral, bold, or somewhere in between.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Jan. 2026
The great news is there's a style for everyone, whether your aesthetic leans rustic, mod, colorful, and beyond.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leans
Verb
-
In one of the videos, the person tilts their head downward while walking through the home’s front archway.—
Tom Winter,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Ford tilts his head back with a chuckle.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But while the Penny Lane tends to be longer, usually falling to at least the knee and often mid-calf, Jenner’s jacket crops at the waist.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
-
But traffic tends to pick up in March, when the spring break travel season begins.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As governance increasingly relies on public-private partnerships, the absence of public input allows the most organized and well-funded private interests to shape outcomes in their favor.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The series is a love story and relies heavily on your connection with Paul.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There was treadmill work, the running deck set at steep inclines, the speed gradually increasing.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But the car—small, low to the ground, and exceedingly heavy, owing to the ballistic steel and glass—is not suited to a city like Caracas, which is rife with steep inclines and deep potholes, and is best travelled in a four-by-four.—
Armando Ledezma,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Low fence markers can be seen outlining the building zone along Route 2, which slopes along open land, wooded patches and some ravines.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The road, lined with two-story homes on each side, slopes down a gradual hill.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The result is a battlefield where concealment is harder, decision cycles are faster, and information superiority increasingly depends on who can best collect, process, and act on what their satellites see.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The system depends on that belief.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This is the standard for ramp inclinations that are usable for most people, especially wheelchair users.—
K. Desbouis,
Artforum,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leans. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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