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
  • The leader of the breakfast and lunch chain, which brings in over $1 billion in annual revenue, likes to break bread with staffers rather than hide away in a corner office.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Overcast Milan was looking even grayer than I’d have liked, but I was heartened by a gracious welcome at the Park Hyatt, tucked away on a side street of the Piazza del Duomo.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • While many American shoppers prefer thicker steaks and roasts, Casillas said Latino customers often seek thinner cuts commonly used in dishes such as carne asada.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The numbers suggest that, at least for now, listeners prefer conversation.
    — Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of prefer
Verb
  • Expect greed, luck, obsession and the old adage that fortune really does favor the brave (and the strange, according to A+E).
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Robert Coon, managing partner at Impact Management Group, a political consulting and public-opinion firm with an Arkansas office, said that welfare work requirement policy is generally favored in Arkansas.
    — Laura Turbay, Los Angeles Times, 6 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
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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 13 Oct. 2026.

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