lean on
Britishverb
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Also: lean upon. to depend on for advice, support, etc
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informal to exert pressure on (someone), as by threats or intimidation
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Rely on, depend on, as in He's leaning on me for help . [Mid-1400s]
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Exert pressure on one, especially to obtain something or make one do something against his or her will. For example, The gangsters were leaning on local storekeepers to pay them protection money . [ Colloquial ; mid-1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Louise Owen's experience is different, there is a common theme of conflicting advice and discrepancies which prompted her to lean on the support of the helpline.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
As a result, older adults often lean on unpaid care from family or friends.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026
In fact, AI might drive some growth for Accenture as companies lean on the consultancy for its services—including help with AI deployment itself.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
There’s also a tangible entreaty for global communities to lean on the networks and relationships they have—with their neighbors, schools, civil organizations, governments, and corporations—and address an issue everyone agrees we should be worried about.
From Slate • May 28, 2026
Janie laughed at that and let herself lean on him.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
