leverage
Americannoun
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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.
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the mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever.
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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.
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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)
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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.
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to provide with leverage.
The board of directors plans to leverage two failing branches of the company with an influx of cash.
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to invest or arrange (invested funds) using leverage.
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to exert power or influence on.
It was Joe who leveraged her to change her habits.
noun
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the action of a lever
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the mechanical advantage gained by employing a lever
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power to accomplish something; strategic advantage
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the enhanced power available to a large company
the supermarket chains have greater leverage than single-outlet enterprises
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US word for gearing
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the use made by a company of its limited assets to guarantee the substantial loans required to finance its business
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of leverage
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.
Vocabulary lists containing leverage
Trumps
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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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.
See Examples For:
When things go against you, leverage is a curse, not a blessing, as anyone who was on the wrong side of the housing crash nearly two decades ago knows.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
That’s partly because Origin’s leverage is well below the bottom end of a 2-3x target range and FY27 capex guidance is lower than expected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Over many decades, homeowners benefited handsomely from leverage, because they were able to borrow cheaply for 30 years at low fixed interest rates.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
It has been most acutely felt by people who used leverage - a form of borrowing in the financial markets.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Not to close it, but to give him leverage in case he needs to.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Rubner noted leveraged exchange-traded-fund assets tumbled more than $60 billion from a June peak to $154 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
It is thought to be the largest leveraged buyout in history, meaning a significant part of it is paid for with borrowed money, which the company will have to pay back.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Where the money comes from varies—in the 2010s it was from central banks, then from 2020 government spending added vastly more, while this year margin debt and leveraged ETFs have been significant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
The heavily leveraged LTCM’s threatened collapse prompted Wall Street firms to organize a rescue coordinated by the New York Fed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 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
"In short, Samsung is leveraging its strong position in memory to aggressively capture share across most of its business units."
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
“We aim to stay ahead by executing against our three areas of focus: delivering more entertainment value, leveraging technology to improve every aspect of our service, and improving monetization.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
They’re asking the FTC and DOJ to investigate whether Netflix is leveraging its position in the subscription video-streaming market in ways that harm competition, creators and consumers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
"However, I believe I can now be a more positive influence leveraging new roles and opportunities that allow me to fight for Para-sport, and the coverage that it deserves."
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Steve Eisman was odd in his conviction that the leveraging of middle-class America was a corrupt and corrupting event, and that the subprime mortgage market in particular was an engine of exploitation and, ultimately, destruction.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
