lean (toward or towards)

verb

Definition of lean (toward or towards)next
as in to like
to show partiality toward I'm leaning toward sausage on our pizza tonight—we got pepperoni the last three times

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lean (toward or towards)
  1. like
  2. prefer
  3. favor
Verb
  • Terry Kay liked to tell the story of how he was coerced into writing his first novel by Pat Conroy, who told his literary agent Kay had written a brilliant manuscript.
    — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • And yet, when CNN Sports asked to speak with people who bet on sports but don’t like prediction markets partnering with sports leagues, teams or athletes themselves, Allison was among the dozens of fans who reached out.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • Those who prefer oceanfront balconies should stay in the East Tower.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Some prefer to splurge on concessions, while others save up for midway rides and carnival games.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of prefer
Verb
  • The new spending comes as the group pauses ads in Georgia and North Carolina, states where Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Roy Cooper are favored to win.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • By comparison, Iowa favored Trump by a margin of 13 percentage points in 2024.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of favor
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

lean-tos
lean (toward or towards)
leap
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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