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

The brands that thrive in this environment will be those that keep this reality in perspective, and leverage adversity not as a roadblock but instead as an opportunity to innovate and lead. —Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Find the balance: human touch with technological leverage The secret to using AI effectively is knowing which elements need your personal touch and which can be enhanced by automation. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Verb

This data point suggests that farmers are still leveraging capital but are focusing more on operational costs versus land expansion. —Artem Milinchuk, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

The Prime Minister’s address is expected to outline India’s roadmap for leveraging creative industries as key economic growth drivers. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for leverage

• beverage

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