Meaning & use
lean
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Slim and fit, with little body fat; also used for meat that contains very little fat.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a lean athlete, the beef is lean.
Patterns
- lean and strong
- lean meat
The marathon runner had a lean, strong build.
I buy lean beef because it has less fat.
He looked lean after months of training.
adjectivecomparable
Providing little, with few resources, or running with nothing wasted.
Grammar: Describes times, companies or budgets: a lean year.
Patterns
- a lean year
- lean times
After two lean years, the farm finally earned a profit.
The company ran a lean operation with only ten staff.
Winter was a lean season for the villagers.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To slope or bend your body or an object away from the upright, often resting against something.
Grammar: Intransitive usually with a direction or against: lean forward; transitive with an object: lean the ladder against the wall.
Patterns
- lean against something
- lean over
- lean something against something
She leaned against the doorway and watched the rain.
He leaned forward to hear the whisper.
Lean the bike against the fence.
verbintransitive
To depend on someone for help or support, or to tend to favour a view or option.
Grammar: Takes on for support and towards or to for preference: lean on a friend, lean towards the cheaper plan.
Patterns
- lean on someone
- lean towards something
During the crisis, she leaned on her sister for support.
The committee is leaning towards a smaller budget.
He leans left on most issues.
Word forms
| third person singular | leans |
|---|---|
| past tense | leaned |
| past participle | leaned |
| -ing form | leaning |
| comparative | leaner |
| superlative | leanest |
Common combinations
- lean forward
- Please lean forward so I can adjust the cushion.
- lean on someone
- You can lean on me whenever you need to.
- lean meat
- The diet is based on fish and lean meat.
- lean times
- The shop survived the lean times.
- lean towards
- I lean towards the second option.
- lean back
- He leaned back in his chair and sighed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slim
- Slim describes an attractively thin person, while lean suggests fitness and little fat.
- skinny
- Skinny means too thin and can sound negative, while lean is usually positive.
- incline
- Incline is a formal verb for bending or tilting and also works for opinions.
- rely
- Rely on means to depend on, but lean on adds the sense of seeking emotional support.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: lean or lien? lean or lead?
lean vs lien
A lien is a legal claim on property and is pronounced differently, though some people confuse the spellings.
lean vs lead
Lean and lead sound alike in some accents, but lead means to guide or go first.
Practice
Which sentence uses lean to mean relying on someone?
Choose one answer.
Lean on means depend on for help; the others describe tilting, scarcity or low fat.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lean”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.