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Synonyms

leaning

American  
[lee-ning] / ˈli nɪŋ /

noun

  1. inclination; tendency.

    strong literary leanings.
    Synonyms:
    penchant, bias, proclivity, propensity, bent
leaning British  
/ ˈliːnɪŋ /

noun

  1. a tendency or inclination

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of leaning

First recorded before 1000; Middle English leninge, Old English hlining; lean 1 + -ing 1

Vocabulary lists containing leaning

"Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper"

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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.

And when it comes to building a menu, they’re leaning into pantry staples with personality from Flamingo Estate’s vinegar made from fuyu and hachiya persimmons to smoked sea-salt flakes from Maldon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

However, he argued that Domino’s had the profits and the advertising budget to outlast competitors that are leaning harder on discounting and, in turn, putting more pressure on their chains’ franchisees.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

Sir Olly Robbins told MPs this week that he had not been told that there was a recommendation to deny Lord Mandelson security clearance, only that officials were "leaning against" it.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

After trying and failing with its fully in-house approach, Apple is leaning on its longtime search partner, Google, to provide the back end technology for the next-generation of Siri.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

He reached the ridge of trees and stopped, leaning against a pine.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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.