lease 1 of 2

Definition of leasenext

lease

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rent
to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment the landlord was willing to lease the apartment for less than we had expected

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum I couldn't afford to buy a car outright, so I decided to lease one instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lease different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lease are charter, hire, let, and rent. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

When would charter be a good substitute for lease?

In some situations, the words charter and lease are roughly equivalent. However, charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of lease?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

In what contexts can rent take the place of lease?

Although the words rent and lease have much in common, rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

How is the word lease different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lease are charter, hire, let, and rent. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

When would charter be a good substitute for lease?

In some situations, the words charter and lease are roughly equivalent. However, charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of lease?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

In what contexts can rent take the place of lease?

Although the words rent and lease have much in common, rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lease
Noun
The biggest stumbling block, though, is the ground lease. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 27 Mar. 2026 Karsh told the Pioneer Press that tenant complaints against Quadrel began last March when renters from one of their residential properties, located at 929-935 Michigan Avenue, noticed a drastic increase in rent following their lease renewal offer. Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
In 2019, Cedar Fair bought the 112 acres of land beneath the park, and in 2022 it was sold to Prologis, which agreed to lease back the land for 6 to 11 years. Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026 In the coming months, the building will lose Bank of America and the law firm Morrison Foerster, both of which have leased space elsewhere downtown. Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lease
Noun
  • First, property owners will get a warning and if it's not cut back within 30 days, citations range from $335 to $635.
    Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Throughout the property, the original building's bones— beams, tiles, pillars, and window frames—were gently restored to show their age and patina, not conceal it.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • With the aid of French citizens, the Nazis looted more than 38,000 private apartments in the capital, and as many as 25,000 empty apartments that had been home to Jewish families were rented to non-Jewish tenants.
    Shannon Fogg, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
  • California’s elite putting up their nanny or private chef in a backyard pad — or renting them out as Airbnbs — will do little for the economics (or politics) of the housing crunch, but will help around the margins.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The relationship healed after Howard was hired as Michigan’s basketball coach in 2019.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The invader is a skillful art restorer, Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), who’s been hired by Julian’s greedy children, Barnaby (James Corden) and Sallie (Jessica Gunning), to work, or pose, as their father’s new assistant.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That bacteria lives naturally in the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts of chickens, said Kimberly Baker, associate extension specialist at Clemson University.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The tract, which is in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, will be part of the Clearion development.
    Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In scope, the planned stadium development dwarfs the 23 other projects Kansas has realized through its STAR bond program since 1999.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Aaron told me that Feinstein had played no role in the development of the app and had never downloaded it.
    Oriana van Praag, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lease. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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