leak
Americannoun
-
leaks
plural
-
an unintended hole, crack, or the like, through which liquid, gas, light, etc., enters or escapes.
a leak in the roof.
-
an act or instance of leaking.
-
any means of unintended entrance or escape.
-
Electricity. the loss of current from a conductor, usually resulting from poor insulation.
-
a disclosure of secret, especially official, information, as to the news media, by an unnamed source.
verb (used without object)
-
leaks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
leaked,
past participle, past
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leaking
present participle
-
to let a liquid, gas, light, etc., enter or escape, as through an unintended hole or crack.
The boat leaks.
-
to pass in or out in this manner, as liquid, gas, or light.
gas leaking from a pipe.
-
to become known unintentionally (usually followed byout ).
The news leaked out.
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to disclose secret, especially official, information anonymously, as to the news media.
The official revealed that he had leaked to the press in the hope of saving his own reputation.
verb (used with object)
-
leaks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
leaked,
past participle, past
-
leaking
present participle
-
to let (liquid, gas, light, etc.) enter or escape.
This camera leaks light.
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to allow to become known, as information given out covertly.
to leak the news of the ambassador's visit.
idioms
noun
-
-
a crack, hole, etc, that allows the accidental escape or entrance of fluid, light, etc
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such escaping or entering fluid, light, etc
-
-
to develop a leak
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something resembling this in effect
a leak in the defence system
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the loss of current from an electrical conductor because of faulty insulation, etc
-
a disclosure, often intentional, of secret information
-
the act or an instance of leaking
-
a slang word for urination See urination
verb
-
to enter or escape or allow to enter or escape through a crack, hole, etc
-
to disclose (secret information), often intentionally, or (of secret information) to be disclosed
-
(intr) a slang word for urinate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
leaksimple
-
leakssimple
-
have leakedperfect
-
has leakedperfect
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am leakingprogressive
-
are leakingprogressive
-
is leakingprogressive
-
have been leakingperfect progressive
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has been leakingperfect progressive
Past
-
leakedsimple
-
had leakedperfect
-
was leakingprogressive
-
were leakingprogressive
-
had been leakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of leak
1375–1425; 1955–60 leak for def. 11; late Middle English leken < Old Norse leka to drip, leak; akin to Dutch lek, obsolete German lech leaky. See leach 1
Explanation
A leak involves the release of something. It can be a behind-someone’s-back leak of sensitive information, a leak from a milk carton, or a leak in the roof that lets rain water drip in. As a verb, leak means to allow light or fluid to escape, or to enter or escape as though through a hole. Light can leak in through the curtains, water can leak out of an almost-closed faucet, or information can leak to the press. A leak is almost always a bad thing — it indicates that something that should be contained has broken out or escaped.
Vocabulary lists containing leak
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 6
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Simply Scandalous!
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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.
See Examples For:
“Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of the settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith,” Bonta said on Monday, noting: “I have pulled down this meeting.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The move comes after nationwide protests triggered by the leak of a key medical entrance examination paper and a series of other recruitment scandals.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
She added a hosepipe ban amid a drought while the leak remained made her "very annoyed".
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
I could see the anger leak out of him a little bit.
From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani
Paramount later denied that it was the source of the leaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
That involves adding "sulphur accelerators, antioxidants, and activators into the material" which "prevents the biodegradation of balloons" and also leaks "toxic chemicals into the environment".
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
The revelation came as the country grappled with whistleblower Edward Snowden’s leaks exposing the vast reach of the agency’s surveillance.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Justice Department subsequently told the BBC that it was investigating illegal leaks.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
He leaks a long rattling breath through his nose, which makes me shrink into my chair.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
Unfortunately, the beginning of Twin Peaks’ set at 4:30 p.m. was plagued by technical issues, highlighted by an extensive sound check that leaked into the first 10 minutes of their allotted time on stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Police have also been accused of negligence in the initial stages of the investigation after footage of a teenage suspect was leaked onto social media.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Hearn claims those reports were based on a leaked email and insists the issues raised in it were not part of the list sent to Sela.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
He alleged that his stepmother, Queen Camilla, leaked stories about him to improve her image.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Ms. Hussey was not there, and word had leaked to the papers that she had been arrested the night before as a suspect in the theft.
From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett
But Bonta abruptly canceled the mediation session, accusing Paramount of “playing games,” leaking details and making misrepresentations about the talks despite agreeing to keep them confidential.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Since the protests, authorities have attempted to appease the nation's youth, with the parliament hiking penalties for leaking exam papers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
For years, the island’s obsolete septic systems have been leaking waste into the pristine waters of Biscayne Bay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
A whistleblower jailed for leaking military secrets about Australia's involvement in Afghanistan has been released on parole after serving 27 months.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
I try to mop my tears with the grubby scarf, but they won’t stop leaking from my eyes.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
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.
