lean
Third Person
leans
Present Participle
leaning
Past Tense
leaned
Past Participle
leaned
1
to bend from a straight position typically to rest the body against something for support
- Feeling tired after the hike, she decided to lean against the tree to catch her breath.
- The construction worker took a break and leaned on the scaffolding, surveying the progress of the building.
- The cat stretched and leaned against the window, basking in the warmth of the sunlight.
- The teenager leaned on the fence, engrossed in a conversation with a friend.
2
to have a tendency to choose or support something
- She leans politically to the left.
- I lean toward taking the earlier flight to avoid traffic.
- The committee seems to lean in favor of the new proposal.
- When it comes to music, I lean more toward jazz than rock.
- He leans heavily on his experience when making decisions.
3
to depend on for support, guidance, or inspiration
transitive
- During challenging times, she would lean on her friends for emotional support.
- In times of uncertainty, many people lean on their faith or spirituality for guidance.
- As a mentor, he encourages his students to lean on their strengths to overcome obstacles.
- During the creative process, artists often lean on their personal experiences for inspiration.
- The team tends to lean on their experienced captain for leadership during critical moments in the game.
4
to cause or allow something to rest against another object
transitive
- She leaned her bike against the fence before entering the store.
- The artist carefully leaned the canvas against the easel, preparing to start painting.
- To save space, the bookshelf was leaned against the wall instead of being mounted.
- He leaned the ladder against the house to reach the upper windows for cleaning.
- The gardener leaned the rake against the shed after finishing the yard work.
Synonyms: