1
as in tendencies
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the news media are often accused of having liberal leanings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in inclinations
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leanings
Despite its obvious political leanings, the network must know Jimmy Kimmel isn't worth it anymore.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Blanton’s improvisational leanings wrench this aesthetic away from the realm of the programmatic, allowing his tracks to warp on a dime and filling them with plentiful rewinds, glitches, and abstract codas.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
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
Your zodiac sign, with its distinct personality traits and aesthetic leanings, offers a surprisingly fitting blueprint for finding a ring that feels deeply personal.
—Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Many polls show dramatic splits in sentiment based on political leanings, but not this one.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Importantly, these moderating effects persisted even when bots were given information about users’ political leanings, suggesting the influence is not just a result of tailoring responses to users.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Blanton’s improvisational leanings wrench this aesthetic away from the realm of the programmatic, allowing his tracks to warp on a dime and filling them with plentiful rewinds, glitches, and abstract codas.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
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
Your zodiac sign, with its distinct personality traits and aesthetic leanings, offers a surprisingly fitting blueprint for finding a ring that feels deeply personal.
—Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Many polls show dramatic splits in sentiment based on political leanings, but not this one.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Importantly, these moderating effects persisted even when bots were given information about users’ political leanings, suggesting the influence is not just a result of tailoring responses to users.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leanings
Noun
-
Rácz has been interpreted as a foil to Vladimír Mečiar, a real-life politician who served as Slovakia’s prime minister between 1990 and 1998 and was heavily criticized for his autocratic tendencies, strongman persona, and ties to organized crime.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Who knew that such daring would lead to a film that avoids these inclinations entirely, especially one that could have so easily leaned into controversial territory?—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Welcome back to The Athletic’s title-race tracker, where our data and tactics writers analyse the key trends behind the two-horse race for the Premier League crown between Arsenal and Manchester City.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Sign up for our weekly newsletter that goes beyond the livestream, offering a closer look at the trends and figures shaping the ETF market.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
-
More money is apt to make homeschooling worse and far less tailored to the individual student and their interests and aptitudes by encouraging parents to substitute pricey group programs for the requisite effort of individualized instruction.—
Marie Sapirie,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Timing your visit around the tides gives you two completely different — and equally memorable — experiences.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Because of this, the incoming and outgoing tides can be extremely powerful.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its formal and ontological affinities with dysfunction, fragmentation, and violence would seem to render that debt proverbial to the point of cliché.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Today, costly and time-consuming coachbuilding acts as a mirror for the owner’s personal style and affinities, all the while displaying the status of having formed such a close connection with a brand that you’re invited to commission something singular.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Staff were stationed throughout, giving runners directions, passing out water and cheering us on.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Regular service on the Tehran–Moscow route will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in both directions, IRNA reported, citing officials with Mahan Air.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leanings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leanings. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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