Meaning & use
leaning in
Last updated
“leaning in” is a form of “lean in”.
Meanings
verbintransitivefigurative
Committing fully to a career or difficult task instead of holding back.
Grammar: The base form is 'lean in'; 'leaning in' is the -ing form, often after 'be' or a verb like 'start': She is leaning in at work.
Patterns
- be leaning in
- start leaning in
- keep leaning in
After her promotion, she started leaning in and taking on bigger projects.
He is leaning in at work this year instead of waiting for opportunities to come to him.
The article argues that leaning in is not enough without supportive managers.
verbintransitive
Moving your body forward and closer to someone or something.
Grammar: Describes a physical movement; often followed by 'toward' or 'to': leaning in toward the microphone.
Patterns
- leaning in toward someone
- leaning in to hear
She was leaning in toward the baby to hear what he was saying.
The audience was leaning in, completely focused on the speaker.
Word forms
| base form | lean in |
|---|---|
| third person singular | leans in |
| past tense | leaned in |
| past participle | leaned in |
| -ing form | leaning in |
Common combinations
- leaning in at work
- She has been leaning in at work since the new manager arrived.
- leaning in toward someone
- He was leaning in toward his friend to catch every word.
- keep leaning in
- Even after the setback, the team kept leaning in and improving the product.
- leaning in to listen
- The students were leaning in to listen to the guest speaker.
Synonyms and how they differ
- committing
- Focuses on making a firm decision or promise; 'leaning in' suggests actively pushing forward in your career or task.
- engaging
- Means taking part or becoming involved; 'leaning in' adds a sense of effort and ambition.
- striving
- Emphasizes working hard toward a goal; 'leaning in' is more about attitude and full participation.
Opposites
Word family
- lean in phrasal verb
- The base form: to commit fully or move forward.
- lean verb
- To bend or move from an upright position.
Commonly confused: leaning in or leaning?
leaning in vs leaning
The simple -ing form of 'lean' just means bending or tilting; 'leaning in' specifically adds the idea of moving closer or committing more.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'leaning in' in the career sense?
Choose one answer.
'Leaning in' in the career sense means committing fully to work, so asking for more responsibility fits. The other options use 'lean' for physical position, not the phrasal verb 'lean in'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “leaning in”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.