lean on
verb
leaned on; leaning on; leans on
: to apply pressure to
They were leaning on the governor to pass the law.
Examples of lean on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After the bill failed, Biden has leaned on executive orders and actions to grant his administration the ability to declare such an emergency while also offering protections for undocumented spouses of American citizens.
—
Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 23 June 2024
So when Indian Point foolishly closed, New York increasingly leaned on burning natural gas, which has gone from contributing less than 40% of the state’s electricity generation in 2017 to more than 50% last year.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 June 2024
During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark lean on their 20-plus years around the program to present their cases.
—Wesley Alden, Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2024
The United States also leaned on Chile to nix a bid by Huawei to build a trans-Pacific undersea cable connecting Valparaiso to Shanghai.
—Eduardo Porter, Washington Post, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for lean on 
Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 23 June 2024
So when Indian Point foolishly closed, New York increasingly leaned on burning natural gas, which has gone from contributing less than 40% of the state’s electricity generation in 2017 to more than 50% last year.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 June 2024
During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark lean on their 20-plus years around the program to present their cases.
—Wesley Alden, Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2024
The United States also leaned on Chile to nix a bid by Huawei to build a trans-Pacific undersea cable connecting Valparaiso to Shanghai.
—Eduardo Porter, Washington Post, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for lean on
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lean on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Lean on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lean%20on. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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