# leverage

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɛv(ə)ɹɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #8,568

## Definitions
1. A force compounded by means of a lever rotating around a pivot.
2. Any influence which is compounded or used to gain an advantage.
3. The use of borrowed funds with a contractually determined return to increase the ability to invest and earn an expected higher return, but usually at high risk.
4. The debt-to-equity ratio.
5. The ability to earn very high returns when operating at high-capacity utilization of a facility.
6. The distance of between an independent observation and other observations.

## Etymology
From lever + -age. The verb likely comes from martial arts/judo usage, where one would "use an opponent's leverage (i.e. their weight, height, centre of balance, etc.)" against them in order to defeat them.

## Easily confused with
- **leveraged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leverage-vs-leveraged)

## Common misspellings (11)
`elverage`, `leevrage`, `levearge`, `leveraeg`, `leveragge`, `levergae`, `leverrage`, `levreage`, `levverage`, `lleverage`, `lveerage`

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