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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

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.

Traders are leaning toward the inflation side of the Fed’s dual mandate, pricing in about one quarter-point interest-rate cut by the end of the year, down from two to three at the end of February.

From Barron's

The company has been leaning into home-building in a notably pricey market for buyers, Lennar CEO Stuart Miller said in a statement.

From Barron's

The head of the U.S. forces in the Middle East is leaning on relationships nurtured over years as he commands the fight against Tehran.

From The Wall Street Journal

The head of the U.S. forces in the Middle East is leaning on relationships nurtured over years as he commands the fight against Tehran.

From The Wall Street Journal

The head of the U.S. forces in the Middle East is leaning on relationships nurtured over years as he commands the fight against Tehran.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.