1
: an allowable margin of freedom or variation : tolerance
The new rules allow managers greater leeway in making decisions.
2
a
: off-course lateral movement of a ship when underway
The sailboat's centerboard helps to reduce leeway.
b
: the angle between the heading and the track of an airplane
Examples of leeway in a Sentence
They give their students leeway to try new things.
you will be given some leeway in choosing how to carry out the project
Recent Examples on the Web
The Supreme Court in a 2014 decision gave the executive branch broad leeway to fill executive branch vacancies when the Senate is not in session, even for political purposes such as difficulty securing Senate confirmation.
—
John Parkinson, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2025
These products now all stand to cost consumers more, especially since grocers and farmers tend to operate on very low profit margin compared to other industries, giving them little leeway to absorb higher tariffs costs, and instead will pass it down to consumers, said Lovely.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
At the time he was sentenced, the federal sentencing guidelines gave judges no real leeway and a 2010 law did not give Wintersmith and other prisoners like him retroactive relief.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Mid-ranking officers had never been given so much leeway to attack so many targets, many of which had lower military significance, at such a high potential civilian cost.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for leeway 
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John Parkinson, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2025
These products now all stand to cost consumers more, especially since grocers and farmers tend to operate on very low profit margin compared to other industries, giving them little leeway to absorb higher tariffs costs, and instead will pass it down to consumers, said Lovely.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
At the time he was sentenced, the federal sentencing guidelines gave judges no real leeway and a 2010 law did not give Wintersmith and other prisoners like him retroactive relief.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Mid-ranking officers had never been given so much leeway to attack so many targets, many of which had lower military significance, at such a high potential civilian cost.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for leeway
Dictionary Entries Near leeway
Cite this Entry
“Leeway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leeway. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leeway
noun
lee·way
ˈlē-ˌwā 
1
: sideways movement of a ship when under way
2
: an extra amount (as of room or time) that allows some freedom or variation
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