1
as in to tilt
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 skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
all of the marathoners are extremely lean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in slope
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of lean
Scott Powers, New York Times, 29 May 2025
So even those that are able to get into positions of power don’t lean towards the community.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
The agency was already lean and had a plan to be more efficient.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
In Europe, the German publishing giant’s media holdings are known for their conservative lean.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Verb
So, Quenneville leaned hard on defensemen Duncan Keith, Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Oduya.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 29 May 2025
So even those that are able to get into positions of power don’t lean towards the community.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Adjective
One thing the brand does successfully, though, is lean into its European identity, especially the Italian flair of its founders.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
The agency was already lean and had a plan to be more efficient.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
The show’s perspective, it’s got a cultural lean to it, and that’s one of the positive things about being involved.
—Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
In Europe, the German publishing giant’s media holdings are known for their conservative lean.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean
Verb
-
Midway through the period, though, the ice started to tilt in the other direction.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
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But it was renamed The Land of Hope and Dreams tour earlier this month, and is clearly tilting in a more political direction now that Trump is back in the White House.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s successes, including his victory last year, have tended to be larger than expected after the Democrats underestimated his popularity.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
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Notably, the term premium tends to be at its lowest or even negative before an economic recession.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Verb
-
Our goal is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone relying on public transportation.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
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The three men are all longtime Miami residents who have experienced homelessness and rely on donations to make a living, according to the complaint.—
Vivienne Serret,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The teens proceeded to go skinny dipping, and upon emerging from the water, Abdela was freezing.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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Dyson has officially unveiled its skinniest vacuum yet: the new PencilVac, which measures just 38mm in diameter.—
Paul Lamkin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Fortunately, the view from the top still hits me like a surprise every time: the hills of Mexico to the south, the coastline to the west, the miles of undeveloped slopes and valleys to the north.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
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According to new research published Monday in the journal Nature Communications, these slopes are dry, likely due to layers of fine dust suddenly sliding off steep terrain.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The nylon bristles are angled to ensure that strands migrate to the side of the cleaner head rather than getting wrapped around or tangled in the brush bar.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
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Rather than build on a north-south axis, Frank angled the more than 5,000-square-foot steel-beam structure to run from the southeast to northwest on its corner parcel, with everything flaring out from a spacious central hub.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Their appearance and length of time in the sky depends on the temperature, humidity, wind speed and altitude, according to the National Weather Service.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 May 2025
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How much to thin out your seedlings in your garden depends on how far apart the mature plants should be for optimal growth.—
Viveka Neveln,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 May 2025
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And was there ever, complete with Angus Young, knobby knees and thin ankles, scampering, duck-walking and hopping from place to place.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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