less common spelling of leech
1
: either vertical edge of a square sail
2
: the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail
leached; leaching; leaches
1
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
leach out alkali from ashes
2
: to subject to the action of percolating (see percolate sense 1a) liquid (such as water) in order to separate the soluble components
3
a
: to remove (nutritive or harmful elements) from soil by percolation (see percolate sense 1a)
soil leached of its salts by torrential rains
b
: to draw out or remove as if by percolation
all meaning has been leached from my life
: to pass out or through by percolation
Nutrients leached out of the soil with rainwater.
Examples of leach in a Sentence
Verb
Even a small amount of rain can leach the toxic material from the soil.
Certain kinds of treated wood can leach chemicals into the soil.
The chemical eventually leaches away from the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lev Grossman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Much of it is dumped in landfills, leaching toxic chemicals into the environment.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
During the breakdown process, PFAS can leach into the soil and water supply.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leach
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Pullman’s epic, which concludes this fall with the publication of The Rose Field, doesn’t leach into the cultural groundwater quite so readily.
—Lev Grossman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Much of it is dumped in landfills, leaching toxic chemicals into the environment.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
During the breakdown process, PFAS can leach into the soil and water supply.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leach
Cite this Entry
“Leach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leach. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
leach
transitive verb1
: to subject to the action of percolating liquid (as water) in order to separate the soluble components
2
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
: to pass out or through by percolation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share