Etymology
Origin of leaner
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.
Years of absorbing shocks have left companies leaner and more adaptable, like an athlete in peak training rather than one running on fumes, said Sheets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Boosted by powerful new artificial-intelligence tools, Silicon Valley startups are running leaner than ever, spawning new benchmarks like revenue-per-employee and even talk of the billion-dollar, one-person company.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
But his pre-season preparation was key in matching those demands this season, with the midfielder visibly leaner and stronger.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026
“We believe Warsh’s communication style could be leaner and less scripted than that of previous chairs,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026
Johnny, smaller and leaner, became a proficient and scrappy fighter but never achieved his brother’s success.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
