leeway
Americannoun
-
extra time, space, materials, or the like, within which to operate; margin.
With ten minutes' leeway we can catch the train.
-
a degree of freedom of action or thought.
His instructions gave us plenty of leeway.
- Synonyms:
- cushion, flexibility, latitude
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Also called sag. Nautical. the amount or angle of the drift of a ship to leeward from its heading.
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Aeronautics. the amount a plane is blown off its normal course by cross winds.
noun
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room for free movement within limits, as in action or expenditure
-
sideways drift of a boat or aircraft
Etymology
Origin of leeway
Explanation
Leeway is a term used to describe the amount of freedom available. If you know you have a paper due on Monday, you might ask your teachers if there is any leeway––could you, say, bring it first thing Tuesday morning? Leeway is a nautical term, referring to a vessel's drift to the lee, (nautical for "downwind"). Now, it is very useful in describing those gray areas in life––for example, everyone has a ten-minute leeway when meeting friends where you're not officially late, even if you're not actually on time.
Vocabulary lists containing leeway
Dear Martin
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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.
In the debate, Jones also said he may have inadvertently given Lord Mandelson too much leeway and offered an apology, including to Epstein victim Lisa Phillips.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
A separate raft of duties, tied to section 301 tariff rules that give the government tremendous leeway, are expected over the coming weeks.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
It left states leeway to define who is intellectually disabled but did clarify that an individual with an IQ under 70 is generally going to qualify.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
Another tactic, several parents said: Seek out teachers who give their kid extra leeway with test time in class and have them write letters attesting to the student’s anxiety or other reason for special treatment.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
"We've got a lot of leeway," Lewis said.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
