Illustration of lever
- lever 2a
1
a
: a bar used for prying or dislodging something
b
: an inducing or compelling force : tool
… use food as a political lever …—Time
2
a
: a rigid piece that transmits and modifies force or motion when forces are applied at two points and it turns about a third
specifically
: a rigid bar used to exert a pressure or sustain a weight at one point of its length by the application of a force at a second and turning at a third on a fulcrum
b
: a projecting piece by which a mechanism (see mechanism sense 1) is operated or adjusted
levered; levering
ˈle-və-riŋ
ˈlē-;
ˈlev-riŋ,
ˈlēv-
1
: to pry, raise, or move with or as if with a lever
2
: to operate (a device) in the manner of a lever
Cite this Entry
“Lever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lever. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
