lean 1 of 3

verb

ˈlēn How to pronounce lean (audio)
Definition of leannext
1
as in to tilt
to set or cause to be at an angle just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it

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2
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) the family's diet leans toward greasy food

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3
as in to rely
to place reliance or trust you can always lean on me if you need help

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lean

2 of 3

adjective

as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat all of the marathoners are extremely lean

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lean

3 of 3

noun

as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lean contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lean are gaunt, lanky, lank, rawboned, scrawny, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When is gaunt a more appropriate choice than lean?

The words gaunt and lean can be used in similar contexts, but gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is it sensible to use lank instead of lean?

The words lank and lean are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When would lanky be a good substitute for lean?

The synonyms lanky and lean are sometimes interchangeable, but lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

In what contexts can rawboned take the place of lean?

The meanings of rawboned and lean largely overlap; however, rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of lean?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

When could spare be used to replace lean?

While the synonyms spare and lean are close in meaning, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lean
Verb
Ela features casual dishes like Duck Leg Biryani, Tandoori Cab Hanger Steak Skewer, chutneys and other street snacks, while Mango leans into daily soups, salads and handhelds from Wagyu beef carpaccio to roasted turkey club. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025 Midnight Orchard leans spicy and sweet with peach, apricot, sandalwood, and musk. —Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
So the 26-year-old right-hander’s spring was spent not only trying to earn a spot in the Padres rotation but shedding some pounds and getting leaner while also working to maintain his strength and refine his pitches to be ready for the season. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025 This method involves filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean proteins (e.g., chicken or fish), and a quarter with carbs (e.g., beans and whole grains).20 Getting regular exercise: Staying active can keep your blood sugar low. —Julia Ries, Health, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
The on-field product ended up looking like a mixture of those two messages, with a lean toward the latter. —Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025 Veering from the earnest sentimentality of its action-thriller predecessor, O’Connor’s leans into a more comedic register. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean
  1. tilt
  2. tend
  3. rely
  4. skinny
  5. slope
  6. angle
  7. depend
  8. thin
Verb
  • Instead, Laurie tilts even further into vulnerability.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025
  • What Causes Duck-Footed Walk? Out-toeing occurs when the hip joint, femur, or tibia tilts outward.
    — Mark Gurarie, Health, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of tilt
Verb
  • Meta’s legal team added that many creators were initially skeptical of Instagram Reels, a product launched in response to TikTok, because short-form videos tended to monetize significantly less than longer traditional videos.
    — Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • However, wind and solar tend to take up a lot of space, which has led to challenges in local approvals for new sites and transmission lines.
    — Erin Baker, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of tend
Verb
  • Yet the case stands to influence legal challenges to the Liberation Day tariffs, too, because the President relied on the same mechanism for both the earlier and more recent tariff announcements, declaring a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, of 1977.
    — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In the meantime, the Kings will look to rely on Keon Ellis, Devin Carter, and Markelle Fultz in the backcourt.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of rely
Adjective
  • The TikTok comments were replete with speculation that the friends may have even been skinny dipping—though Horton declined to confirm this.
    — Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
  • After what feels like years of obsessing over eyebrow trends (skinny, perfectly bushy, bleached) to treatments like lamination and microblading, learning to love the unruly swirls that appear in our brows just feels right.
    — Dulce Moncada, Glamour, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of skinny
Noun
  • In a video shared on the official Audi FIS World Cup Instagram, Vonn is seen pumping her fists in the air and cheering along with the crowd in celebration after completing her race at the bottom of the slopes in Sun Valley.
    — Escher Walcott, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Even better: add a few days to your itinerary for visiting a wine region, like Lavaux, which has spectacular terraced slopes overlooking Lake Geneva.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of slope
Verb
  • Brit, still processing, clocks that Kenya was angling for a full-on meltdown, trying to provoke her into playing the aggressor.
    — Shelby Stewart, Essence, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Floating vanity mirrors are angled to reflect the hillside beyond.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of angle
Verb
  • If sold in an auction platform, green jackets could command values into the seven digits depending on the player it was awarded to, given the scarcity of the item.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
  • That shift may depend on the health of the economy.
    — Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of depend
Adjective
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Despite that thinner profile, Corelle says its triple-layered glass plates and bowls are chip- and crack-resistant — a claim that’s backed up with a three-year warranty.
    — Clint Davis, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of thin

Phrases Containing lean

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leaky
lean
leaned
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Cite this Entry

“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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