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.
The Giants will continue to lean on the 10-year veteran’s leadership. — Devin Bradshaw, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2026 The Falcons may need to lean on Trice sooner than expected in the wake of Jalon Walker’s season-ending ACL tear suffered in Tuesday’s practice. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Refiners have leaned on the massive stockpiles, reducing crude processing rather than paying wartime premiums. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 In the three interviews Kersanava conducted with AI avatar applicants, the candidates had applied for English-speaking roles as non-native speakers, leaning on AI as a crutch for a lack of language proficiency. — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 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 9 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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