lean on

verb

leaned on; leaning on; leans on

transitive verb

: to apply pressure to
They were leaning on the governor to pass the law.

Examples of lean on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Attribution models that lean on cross-site tracking are losing signal quality every day, whether or not any single browser flips a switch. — Ivan Guzenko, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Mohamud also warned of a possible secondary collapse, as the collapsed building was leaning on its neighbor. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 In the new film, as in his previous work, Fielder uses actors to play out real scenarios, and leans on his own dry, bluntly awkward persona to bring out his subjects’ quirks and oddities. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 The Rockets, who led the NBA in offensive rebounds last season, continued leaning on it as a strength with 13 offensive rebounds leading to 22 second chance points. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lean on

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lean on was circa 1960

Rhymes for lean on

See All Rhymes for lean on

Browse Nearby Words

leanness
lean on
leant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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