lean

/liːn/

//liːn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lean" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lean” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,705 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#5,705
frequency rank, English
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lean vs LN
0% similar
lean vs let
50% similar
lean vs LED
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lean
PropertyValue
Headwordlean
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/liːn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#5,705
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lean” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lean lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lean is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /liːn/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,705 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for lean, with forms such as "elan", "leann", and "llean". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "LN", "let", "LED", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lenen (“to lean”), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest”), from Proto-West Germanic *hlinēn, from Proto-Germanic *hlināną (“to lean, incline”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-. Cognate via Proto-Germanic … The correct English form is lean, spelled L-E-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
  2. 2
    To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; often with to, toward, etc.
  3. 3
    To rest or rely, for support, comfort, to use as a hard surface for writing, etc.
  4. 4
    To hang outwards.
  5. 5
    To press against.

Etymology

From Middle English lenen (“to lean”), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest”), from Proto-West Germanic *hlinēn, from Proto-Germanic *hlināną (“to lean, incline”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-. Cognate via Proto-Germanic with Middle Dutch leunen (“to lean”), German lehnen (“to lean”); via Proto-Indo-European with climate, cline.

This word in other languages

inclinarse(Español)pencher(Français)lehnen(Deutsch)inclinar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: elan,leann,llean

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lean - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

elan2leann1llean1
Edit distance from "lean"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lean"?
"lean" is spelled L-E-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /liːn/.
What does "lean" mean?
As a verb, "lean" means: To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
What words are commonly confused with "lean"?
"lean" is commonly confused with "LN", "let", "LED". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lean"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lean" is /liːn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lean"?
From Middle English lenen (“to lean”), from Old English hleonian, hlinian (“to lean, recline, lie down, rest”), from Proto-West Germanic *hlinēn, from Proto-Germanic *hlināną (“to lean, incline”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-. Cognate via Proto... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lean”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-E-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /liːn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “LN” - see the side-by-side comparison. lean vs LN
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list