leveling

verb

variants or levelling
present participle of level
1
as in balancing
to make equal in amount, degree, or status we'll give both teams the same equipment so as to level the playing field

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2
as in smoothing
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps the construction workers leveled the ground before laying a foundation for the new house

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3
as in aiming
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal the marksman leveled his gun at the target and fired

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4
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall the boxer leveled his opponent with a single blow

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5
as in demolishing
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces an old warehouse that was leveled to build a parking lot

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of leveling The school had a prominent billionaire booster, Tilman Fertitta, who was financially committed to leveling the program up. — John Talty, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026 In those cases, leveling the entire stove won’t solve the problem. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026 The 5-inch touch screen walks through networking, calibration, self-check routines, and bed leveling step by step, making the initial startup surprisingly painless considering the machine’s size. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026 The game of golf has a funny way of leveling itself for certain players. — Jeff Hartman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 In it, civilian Jordan Salinas is standing planted in a shooting stance, leveling a sidearm at Williams and pulling the trigger. — Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026 What a lot of people don’t understand is that modern headlights, specifically in a lot of higher-end cars, have auto-leveling systems, right? — Joel Feder, The Drive, 5 Aug. 2026 Janson Junk and four relievers combined on a seven-hitter Friday night for the visiting Miami Marlins, who beat the New York Mets 5-2, leveling the four-game series at one win apiece. — Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 But the impact of a potential salary cap would go far beyond just leveling the sport’s playing field. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leveling
  1. balancing
  2. smoothing
  3. aiming
  4. dropping
  5. demolishing
  6. equating
  7. flattening
  8. casting
Verb
  • She was tasked with balancing inflation control against the risk of rate hikes dampening economic recovery.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond balancing your hormones, these can be some of the most effective ways to manage endometriosis, but as the opportunity grows, so does the potential for misinformation and misleading claims.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of balancing
Verb
  • That said, the evolution aspect of the formula is in its skin-loving ingredients like peptides, niacinamide, and microgreens for skin-smoothing and oil-balancing benefits.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The lightweight formula pairs olive, argan, jojoba, sunflower, and safflower oils with smoothing silicones to calm frizz and boost shine.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of smoothing
Verb
  • Manchester City are looking to wrap up their move for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, while Tottenham Hotspur are aiming to bring in Iliman Ndiaye from Everton, with Richarlison heading in the other direction.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The German team reached the second group stage on that occasion and will be aiming for a medal this time, though the absence of star player Satou Sabally is a major blow.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of aiming
Verb
  • Ahmed, who was living in Dubai when the charges came down and was arrested last year in Serbia, was brought back to Chicago this week after dropping his extradition fight.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • To sweeten the deal, Best Buy has it for a jaw-dropping 48% off, saving you $620 for a limited time.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dropping
Verb
  • Mansfield Timberview signaled state-title ambitions by demolishing West Mesquite 69-7, while White Settlement Brewer knocked off Class 6A Haltom 31-14 to open Class 5A play.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Aug. 2026
  • While members of the public and the architectural community have criticized the Rike Tubes for altering the character of Tbilisi’s historic old town, some favored relocating them to a more suitable setting rather than demolishing them.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolishing
Verb
  • The study’s authors are careful to frame Qurayyah Painted Ware as an example of ancient brand-making, rather than directly equating it with a modern multinational brand.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Others on Wall Street, however, see higher levels of risk, equating Meta's case to Big Tobacco in the 1990s when tobacco companies had to pay billions for misleading the public about the safety and potential harms of their products.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of equating
Verb
  • The Premier League, our league, is a bulldozer, flattening anything and everything.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • To ensure quick, even cooking, consider flattening the chicken breasts.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of flattening
Verb
  • Travis Hodgkins is attached to write and direct the project, which is currently casting to start production in the first quarter of next year.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
  • During an eclipse, Earth moves between the moon and the sun, casting a shadow on the moon, according to NASA.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of casting

Browse Nearby Words

levelheadedness
leveling
levels
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Cite this Entry

“Leveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leveling. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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