LEVERAGE Definition & Meaning

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leverage

[ lev-er-ij, lee-ver- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the action of a lever, a rigid bar that pivots about one point and that is used to move an object at a second point by a force applied at a third.
the mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever.
power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc.; sway:
Being the only industry in town gave the company considerable leverage in its union negotiations.
Synonyms: , , , ,
the use of a small initial investment, credit, or borrowed funds to gain a very high return in relation to one's investment, to control a much larger investment, or to reduce one's own liability for any loss.

verb (used with object)

leveraged, leveraging.

to use (a quality or advantage) to obtain a desired effect or result:
She was able to leverage her travel experience and her gift for languages to get a job as a translator.
to provide with leverage:
The board of directors plans to leverage two failing branches of the company with an influx of cash.
to invest or arrange (invested funds) using leverage.
to exert power or influence on:
It was Joe who leveraged her to change her habits.

leverage

/ ˈlɛv-; -vrɪdʒ; ˈliːvərɪdʒ /

noun

the action of a lever
the mechanical advantage gained by employing a lever
power to accomplish something; strategic advantage
the enhanced power available to a large company
the supermarket chains have greater leverage than single-outlet enterprises
US word for gearing
the use made by a company of its limited assets to guarantee the substantial loans required to finance its business

leverage

The amount in which a purchase is paid for in borrowed money. The greater the leverage, the greater the possible gain or potential loss.

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

�Դǲ�·��İ�·�� adjective
�ܲ�·��İ�·�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of leverage¹

First recorded in 1715–25; lever + -age

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Greer leverages her considerable appeal to play someone who would like nothing more than to be left alone.

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That option appears unlikely, but the possibility could give the city a bit of leverage at a time Moreno has the upper hand.

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That is why the EU thinks its main retaliatory leverage against the US would lie in services, like banks and big tech.

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They also accuse Trump of using children — or food for poor children in this case — as pawns for political leverage.

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The administration has chosen a cynical path: leveraging pandemic fatigue to erase programs that were finally beginning to undo decades of public health neglect.

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