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:
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
“Katie and our team continue to learn a great deal from the community,” its spokesperson said, “and we are now evaluating those insights to refine how we leverage the platform moving forward.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
But leverage only works if the return on the underlying asset exceeds the interest cost.
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
The voice came from behind him, and Moss discovered that in his position, he didn’t have enough leverage to turn around.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Products like options and leveraged ETFs allow investors to place speculative bets using their brokerage accounts, Cornell said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Its business has also gotten a big lift from the explosion in retail options trading and the public’s embrace of leveraged and options income funds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 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
He was seen by some as an artificial-intelligence oracle, with other investors closely tracking his firm’s movements as it placed big, leveraged bets on AI-related companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● 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
But Ellison isn’t saving the entertainment industry, he’s leveraging it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"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
Tolo and Johnson are skilled at capturing the public’s attention and leveraging it for business opportunities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 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.
