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.
Serving breakfast instead of lunch allows the restaurant to lean on cheaper items like eggs and potatoes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In this respect, the site of El Sidrón, in northern Spain, provides a particularly strong basis which we can lean on.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026
They lean on each other and they admire each other so much.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
“I very much lean on the side of freedom of people to choose what they consume and less regulation.”
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
"I am no man," she whispered, "so you may lean on me."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
