leverage

1 of 2

noun

le·​ver·​age ˈle-və-rij 

ˈlē-;

ˈlev-rij,

ˈlēv-

1

: the action of a lever or the mechanical advantage gained by it

2

: power, effectiveness

trying to gain more political leverage

3

: the use of credit to enhance one's speculative capacity

leverage

2 of 2

verb

leveraged; leveraging

transitive verb

1

: to provide (something, such as a corporation) or supplement (something, such as money) with leverage

also : to enhance as if by supplying with financial leverage

2

: to use for gain : exploit

shamelessly leverage the system to their advantage

—Alexander Wolff

Synonyms

Noun

• authority
• clout
• credit
• heft
• in
• influence
• juice [slang]
• pull
• sway
• weight

Verb

• abuse
• capitalize (on)
• cash in (on)
• exploit
• impose (on or upon)
• milk
• pimp
• play (on or upon)
• use
• work

Examples of leverage in a Sentence

Noun

The union's size gave it leverage in the labor contract negotiations.

The player's popularity has given him a great deal of leverage with the owners of the team.

I used the leverage of the bar and a wooden block to pry the rock out of the hole.

Verb

The company wants to leverage its brands more effectively.

a reality show contestant who's trying to leverage her 15 minutes of fame

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Similarly, Trump faced little backlash or accountability for his rhetoric or policy decisions throughout his term, including attempts to implement a Muslim travel ban or to shut down the government as leverage for funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. —Li Zhou, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024

Knowing the right people and being in the loop gives you access to information others don’t have—and that’s a form of leverage. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

The company remains committed to navigating these challenges by leveraging its AI capabilities and strategic partnerships to drive growth and improve financial performance. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024

Here’s what happens if the recall results hold Supporters say this amendment would allow the city to leverage the best talent from the city’s diverse community. —Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

leverage

noun

le·​ver·​age

ˈlev-(ə-)rij,

ˈlēv-

: the action of a lever or the increase in force gained by using a lever

Legal Definition

leverage

1 of 2 noun

le·​ver·​age ˈle-vrij, -və-rij 

: the use of credit to enhance one's speculative capacity

leverage

2 of 2 transitive verb

leveraged; leveraging

: to provide (as a corporation) or supplement (as money) with leverage