as in oblique
running in a slanting direction
the leaning tower of Pisa is a popular tourist attraction in Italy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in direction
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the news media are often accused of having liberal leanings
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in tendency
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
1
as in tilting
to set or cause to be at an angle
just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tending
to show a liking or proneness (for something)
the family's diet leans toward greasy food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in relying
to place reliance or trust
you can always lean on me if you need help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of leaning
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 May 2025
Given Illinois’s Democratic leanings, however, whoever wins the party’s primary contest for Durbin’s seat next year is expected to be the heavy favorite to win in the general election.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Casually leaning back in a chair, surrounded by other retirees in Plantation, Marc Kaye, 78, expresses the same emotions as Wilde.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leaning
Noun
Though the new pope spent decades of his adult life working in Peru, his Chicago roots led to speculation and jokes on social media about his sports leanings.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 May 2025
Given Illinois’s Democratic leanings, however, whoever wins the party’s primary contest for Durbin’s seat next year is expected to be the heavy favorite to win in the general election.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
Voila, the best of both worlds entails leaning into generative AI and LLMs as your negotiating tutor.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Casually leaning back in a chair, surrounded by other retirees in Plantation, Marc Kaye, 78, expresses the same emotions as Wilde.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leaning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaning
Adjective
-
Manaea was initially shut down in February with the right oblique strain, then suffered a setback in early April when inflammation in the muscle required a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
-
The 28-year-old right-hander is returning from an oblique strain that removed him from the starting competition in spring training.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Mahan has refused to back down, maintaining that making difficult decisions is necessary to steer San Jose in the right direction.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
As the graph shows below, Bellingham, like most of Real Madrid midfielders, has a tendency to hold on to the ball, whereas Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen midfield is defined by quick and incisive short passes.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
Though moderators control questioning during such forums, too, candidates have a tendency to end up chiming in on each other’s answers when seated next to each other.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
The trailer for With Love, Meghan was released two weeks ahead of the show's premiere and features the Duchess performing a number of activities from tending to a beehive to arranging flowers at a shop and hosting a mix of friends and celebrity guests.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The trailer for With Love, Meghan was released two weeks ahead of the show's premiere and features the Duchess performing a number of activities from tending to a beehive to arranging flowers at a shop and hosting a mix of friends and celebrity guests.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Use curiosity to guide problem-solving instead of relying on control.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Los Angeles’ offense has condensed into relying more on James, Davis and Reaves, with no better example than against Atlanta.—
Jovan Buha,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Jason Clement, the founding partner and CEO of SFC, said that while the NHL, USA Hockey and others have done a great job in turning the tide against the participation slide, rinks in the U.S. and Canada aren’t meeting the moment just yet.—
Jason Clinkscales,
Sportico.com,
22 May 2025
-
Trump is eager to reverse the tide of Democrats routinely outraising GOP candidates and wants to maximize his own impact as president.—
Jill Colvin,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Additionally, the Bank of Japan’s inclination to tighten its monetary policy, which collides with the Asian nation’s fiscal woes, also have a hand in fueling the bond sell-off, said Varathan.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
22 May 2025
-
But state officials have shown no inclination toward making alterations. California earlier this month joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Federal Highway Administration and the Trump administration from withholding billions of dollars to expand electric vehicle infrastructure.—
Rob Nikolewski,
Mercury News,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
Does the trend toward later retirement bode well or ill for American society?—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
-
Use data to flag trends, forecast cash flow and guide decisions.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaning. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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