# lean vs leer

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### lean
*verb · IPA /liːn/ · frequency rank #5,705*
To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.

### leer
*verb · IPA /lɪə/ · frequency rank #47,726*
To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lean-vs-leer