lean
verb (used without object)
to incline or bend from a vertical position.
were leaning
-
past progressiveof lean.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Lawyers who’d scrutinized the deal were leaning toward recommending a lawsuit challenging it on anticompetitive grounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Factoring in which way undecided voters were leaning, Bass would lead at 35%, Raman would follow at 23.3% and Pratt would garner 22.9%.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 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
Meanwhile, minutes from the October meeting, released at 2 p.m. today, suggested more members than not were leaning the other direction.
From Barron's ● Nov. 20, 2025
Sunny and Whit, on the other hand, were leaning against the fence having a casual conversation.
From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds
