1
a
: to incline, deviate, or bend from a vertical position
He leaned back in his chair.
b
: to cast one's weight to one side for support
Lean on me as we walk.
2
: to rely for support or inspiration
… preferred not to lean on his father in building a career.—
Current Biography
Current Biography3
: to incline in opinion, taste, or desire
leaning toward a career in chemistry
: to cause to lean : incline
The boy leaned his head on his mother's shoulder.
: the act or an instance of leaning : inclination
1
a
: lacking or deficient in flesh
b
: containing little or no fat
lean meat
2
: lacking richness, sufficiency, or productiveness
lean profits
the lean years
3
: deficient in an essential or important quality or ingredient: such as
a
of ore
: containing little valuable mineral
b
: low in combustible component
—used especially of fuel mixtures
4
: characterized by economy (as of style, expression, or operation)
leanly
adverb
: the part of meat that consists principally of lean muscle
Synonyms
Examples of lean in a Sentence
Verb (1)
just lean the ladder against the tree and climb up it
the family's diet leans toward greasy food
you can always lean on me if you need help
Noun (1)
the wall has enough of a lean that we can't set a bookcase against it
Adjective
She has a lean, athletic body.
all of the marathoners are extremely lean
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
Stakeholders can lean into these lessons to refine their strategies and stay ahead of emerging risks.
—Angelica Krystle Donati, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Jillian Pretzel, Parents, 8 Jan. 2025
The Blue Zone diet is rich in fiber, healthy fats, and lean protein.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 6 Jan. 2025
Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
Polling indicates a tight race, but Osborn too faces headwinds in a state with a heavy Republican lean.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lean 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
During most of the Cold War and into the early 1990s, the partisan gap between rural and urban areas was relatively small; in the 1992 presidential election, for example, rural voters leaned Republican by just two percentage points over urban voters.
—Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
Stakeholders can lean into these lessons to refine their strategies and stay ahead of emerging risks.
—Angelica Krystle Donati, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
In addition to lean protein, like eggs, Swick says that fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish and other healthy fats from plants should be part of each meal.
—Jillian Pretzel, Parents, 8 Jan. 2025
The Blue Zone diet is rich in fiber, healthy fats, and lean protein.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
At the same time, and at the risk of underestimating the Vikings one more time, the Lions are a strong lean to cover.
—Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
Polling indicates a tight race, but Osborn too faces headwinds in a state with a heavy Republican lean.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lean
Articles Related to lean
Dictionary Entries Near lean
Cite this Entry
“Lean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lean
1 of 4 verb1
a
: to slant or cause to slant or bend from an upright position
the tree leans to one side
lean a ladder against a wall
b
: to cast one's weight to one side for support
lean on me
2
: to depend for support
lean on one's family in a crisis
3
: to tend in opinion, taste, or desire
lean toward simplicity
lean
2 of 4 noun
: the act or an instance of leaning
lean
3 of 4 adjective1
a
: having little body fat
lean cattle
b
: containing little or no fat
lean meat
2
: lacking richness or fullness
a lean fuel-air mixture
lean
4 of 4 noun
: the part of meat that consists mainly of fat-free muscle
Etymology
Verb
Old English hleonian "to slant to one side"
Adjective
Old English hlǣne "having very little body flesh"
Biographical Definition
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