lean heavily on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lean heavily on" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize the importance of something or to talk about relying on something. For example: "She leaned heavily on her family for support during her difficult time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most of the versions with gimmicks and tweaks lean heavily on the one made famous by George Balanchine.

The New York Times

First, however, the Avalanche had to lean heavily on Roy.

The New York Times - Sports

Torre and Stottlemyre lean heavily on relievers they trust.

The New York Times - Sports

They lean heavily on family members to keep things running.

The New York Times

-- lean heavily on technology and telecommunications, according to Morningstar Inc.

The New York Times

They do not need to lean heavily on Blair.

The New York Times - Sports

Leicester will lean heavily on Riyad Mahrez for goals.

The Guardian - Sport

By necessity, those strategies will lean heavily on negative emissions.

Nature

It would also lean heavily on energy efficiency measures.

The New York Times

Still, many of India's top export industries — textiles, engineering products and jewelry — lean heavily on imports.

The New York Times

If he does so, he will lean heavily on the Bloomberg administration's creative financing programs.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lean heavily on", ensure that the subject genuinely depends on the object of the preposition for success or support. Overuse can weaken your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "lean heavily on" when the reliance is minimal or moderate. Opt for phrases like "rely on" or "use" if the dependence isn't significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lean heavily on" functions as a verb phrase that typically modifies another verb, expressing a strong dependence or reliance. Ludwig indicates this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Sports

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

7%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lean heavily on" is a common and grammatically sound way to express significant dependence or reliance on something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s appropriate for various contexts, although its intensity should match the actual degree of dependence. While highly versatile, remember that alternatives like "rely extensively on" or "depend significantly on" can provide nuanced variations. To make your writing most effective, ensure you use "lean heavily on" when you want to emphasize that the object is necessary for the subject's success or support.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

heavily depend upon

Synonymous, but more formal, utilizing the word 'upon' instead of 'on'.

rely extensively on

Emphasizes the degree of dependence using 'extensively' instead of 'heavily'.

depend significantly on

Replaces 'lean' with 'depend' and uses 'significantly' to convey a strong reliance.

be strongly reliant on

Uses 'reliant' to highlight the dependence, adding 'strongly' for emphasis.

place considerable weight on

Shifts the metaphor to 'weight', indicating that something is given high importance or reliance.

rest heavily upon

Implies that something is supported or based on something else, emphasizing the weight or reliance.

draw substantially from

Suggests that a significant portion is being obtained or derived from something.

count on considerably

Uses the expression "count on", highlighting the importance of what is being counted on.

make extensive use of

Highlights the degree of usage more than the reliance.

exploit to a great extent

Focuses on leveraging or utilizing something extensively, which is a slightly different connotation.

FAQs

How can I use "lean heavily on" in a sentence?

Use "lean heavily on" to describe a strong dependence on something or someone. For example: "The company will "lean heavily on" its marketing team to increase sales".

What are some alternatives to "lean heavily on"?

You can use alternatives such as "rely extensively on", "depend significantly on", or "place considerable weight on", depending on the specific context.

Is "lean heavily on" formal or informal?

"Lean heavily on" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's important to consider your audience and the tone of your writing. In highly formal settings, "depend significantly on" might be preferred.

What does it mean to "lean heavily on" something?

To "lean heavily on" something means to rely on it to a great extent for support, assistance, or success. It suggests that the subject is significantly dependent on the object.