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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of leaning
Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
And those leanings have been clear — draft a defensive lineman or receiver early, don’t worry about offensive linemen and then shoot for the moon in Round 3.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, the Dolphins are leaning into players from Texas for their rebuild.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leaning
Noun
Catholics should be focused on living out the gospel, Wenski said, which may put them at odds with their own political leanings.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
And those leanings have been clear — draft a defensive lineman or receiver early, don’t worry about offensive linemen and then shoot for the moon in Round 3.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
In 2023, the organization opened a new clinic in Carbondale, a liberal-leaning enclave not far from Kentucky and Tennessee.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, the Dolphins are leaning into players from Texas for their rebuild.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leaning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaning
Adjective
-
Just three weeks after his oblique injury, Reaves was questionable for Games 3 and 4.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Little did the Lakers know that Dončić (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) would go down heading into the playoffs, but their backcourt backups, Smart and Kennard, had everything to do with their ability to jump out to a 3-0 series lead against Houston (3-1 after Sunday night’s loss).—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Sixers’ Nick Nurse is widely believed to be under pressure too, meaning Sunday’s loss to Boston, which put them in a 3-1 hole, qualifies as a step in the wrong direction.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As the Moon moves through your 11th House of Friends, collaboration brings fresh direction.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kormákur is an Icelandic filmmaker whose breakout was the 2006 crime drama Jar City and who has a tendency to bounce around both genres and continents.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In 2024, Julie Aitken Schermer, a psychology professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, published a paper that showed drivers who modified their exhaust systems to be louder were more likely to have psychopathic and sadist tendencies.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Osprey was the first production tiltrotor—an aircraft with propellers that can swivel on their mounts, pointing up for vertical takeoff and tilting forward for horizontal flight.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Though the Kremlin-friendly Orban had held power for the past 16 years, partly by tilting the electoral system in his favor, his far-right Fidesz party lost to the center-right Tisza party of anti-corruption campaigner Peter Magyar.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For gardeners who have spent years tending beds and borders, the basics can feel like second nature.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
-
James Guillory / Imagn Images OTTAWA — Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was absent from the team’s Monday morning postmortem, tending to his wife, Emma, after the birth of their second child.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Skydio has warned against relying on international suppliers after the drone maker was cut off from its supply of Chinese batteries when it was blacklisted by Beijing in October, the Wall Street Journal reported.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Kean Jr's absence comes at a time when Republican representatives are relying on a narrow majority to pass legislation before the midterm elections in November.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As part of his new collection for the brand, Arnold unveiled a new shape—a slightly sloping, almost smile-like pleat that’s simultaneously nonchalant and fully sophisticated.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Their test setup involved a ramp containing sand to simulate sloping dunes on Mars.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The landmark Meta trial ruling last month signaled a shift in the tide.—
Larz May,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Timing your visit around the tides gives you two completely different — and equally memorable — experiences.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaning. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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