lean (on or against)

verb

Definition of lean (on or against)next
as in to bear (down)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean (on or against)
  1. compel
  2. force
  3. muscle
Verb
  • When the drummer was compelled the leave the stage Thursday in Tulsa, there was some confusion during an approximate 25-minute break before the music resumed with Journey’s drum tech, Steve Toomey, taking over.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The Fifth Amendment generally protects government employees from having statements that are compelled under threat of losing their jobs used against them in a criminal prosecution.
    — Matt Peterson,Luke Fountain, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of compel
Verb
  • Andrey Khrzhanovskiy, a blogger who filmed the assault, said the settlers beat Levine with sticks while the journalists and villagers were forced to retreat.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Trump repeatedly leaned on Thune to kill the filibuster in order to pass it, and other senators wanted Thune to try to force Democrats to pull off a talking filibuster to block the bill.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of force
Verb
  • Warsh could go into the October meeting primed to muscle up wavering committee members based on booming demand for AI spending and warm readings in the inflation data.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Stock indexes muscled higher Thursday, led by companies delivering bigger profits.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of muscle
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.

Browse Nearby Words

leanness
lean (on or against)
leans
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lean (on or against).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lean%20%28on%20or%20against%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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