leverage

American  

[lev-er-ij, lee-ver-] / ˈlɛv ər ɪdʒ, ˈli vər- /

noun

1. 

   the action of a lever, a rigid bar that pivots about one point and that is used to move an object at a second point by a force applied at a third.

2. the mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever.

3. power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc.; sway.

   Being the only industry in town gave the company considerable leverage in its union negotiations.

   Synonyms:

   pull, clout, weight, strength, advantage

4. the use of a small initial investment, credit, or borrowed funds to gain a very high return in relation to one's investment, to control a much larger investment, or to reduce one's own liability for any loss.

---

verb (used with object)

leveraged, leveraging

1. to use (a quality or advantage) to obtain a desired effect or result.

   She was able to leverage her travel experience and her gift for languages to get a job as a translator.

2. to provide with leverage.

   The board of directors plans to leverage two failing branches of the company with an influx of cash.

3. to invest or arrange (invested funds) using leverage.

4. to exert power or influence on.

   It was Joe who leveraged her to change her habits.

leverage British  

/ ˈliːvərɪdʒ, ˈlɛv-, -vrɪdʒ /

noun

1. the action of a lever

2. the mechanical advantage gained by employing a lever

3. power to accomplish something; strategic advantage

4. the enhanced power available to a large company

   the supermarket chains have greater leverage than single-outlet enterprises

5. US word for gearing

6. the use made by a company of its limited assets to guarantee the substantial loans required to finance its business

---

leverage Cultural  

1. The amount in which a purchase is paid for in borrowed money. The greater the leverage, the greater the possible gain or potential loss.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonleveraged
  adjective
• unleveraged
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of leverage

First recorded in 1715–25; lever + -age

Explanation

If you have leverage, you hold the advantage in a situation or the stronger position in a contest, physical or otherwise. The lever is a tool for getting more work done with less physical force. With the right leverage, you might be able to lift a heavy box. This refers to non-physical situations too: the power to move or influence others is also leverage. Since your boss has the power to fire you, that's a lot of leverage to get you to do what he wants. If your friend owes you a favor, you have leverage to get a favor of your own.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leverage leveraged leveraging

If the rapid pace of imports continues, bilateral deficit could jump to $134bn, giving Beijing even more leverage over Indian industry, according to Srivastava.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Egan-Jones addressed effects on venture capital, pointing out that startups can reach scale faster with less money, so those firms will ultimately lose leverage and see returns compress.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

But executives had softened their tone by mid-September and went further to acknowledge the leverage that its unionized workers hold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Abu Dhabi could also potentially use its investment decisions as leverage, according to Wearing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

Whether it was Luke’s unchecked momentum, or Ricky’s diminutive stature, Luke lost leverage almost immediately.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

And respected football finance blogger Swiss Ramble now estimates that United's net interest payments since the leveraged Glazer takeover of the club in 2005 have risen to a total of £852m.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Unlike state-licensed exchanges, these exchanges would be permitted to allow retail customers to trade on a margined, leveraged or financed basis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

In June 2023, Premier League clubs voted to cap future leveraged buyouts at around 65% of a club's value.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

That tells me the bond market is becoming much more skeptical of leveraged and speculative borrowers while higher-quality corporate credit remains relatively calm.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

In the wake of Hadiya’s death, Tina had leveraged her local contacts, encouraging Chicago business leaders and philanthropists to work with Mayor Rahm Emanuel to expand community programs for at-risk youth across the city.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

YouTube relies primarily on an ad-supported model, whereas Amazon is leveraging free live access to draw massive global audiences into its wider ecosystem.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

There are going to be exceptions to the rule, but oftentimes you see even these candidates leveraging social media and talking policy in a different way.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

Indeed, it is almost revolutionary to see emotionally resonant teenage characters who aren’t mired in abuse, addiction or some kind of horror; leveraging dysfunction has become shorthand for “drama.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

She returned to “Today” on April 6, determined to solve her mother’s abduction by leveraging her TV fame and coast-to-coast reach—the same lofty platform she worried might have drawn the attention of Nancy’s kidnappers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

It made sense, Gus leveraging his terminality to make my dream come true: The sequel was a tiny thing to die for, but it was the biggest thing left at his disposal.

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Related Words

• advantage
• bargaining chip
• clout
• weight