lean towards believing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lean towards believing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a tendency or inclination to accept a particular belief or idea. Example: "After reviewing the evidence, I find myself leaning towards believing that the theory is valid."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

So, I definitely lean towards believing it.

Huffington Post

I need to ask you about this story". I told my aunt the story, and she smiled and said, "You know, we did a lot of drugs that night". So, I definitely lean towards believing it.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Happy's funeral was a notable affair; he was back in the news once again and what you thought about him depended on which story of his life you leaned towards believing.

The Guardian

7. Lean Towards Popular Emojis.

Forbes

If, for the sake of argument, that one was to lean towards the camp that believes reincarnation is a legitimate Jewish theological tenet, the question then arises: what are the moral implications of such a belief?

Huffington Post

The 2013 PhilPapers survey "What do Philosophers Believe?" found that 56.5% of the philosophers surveyed "accept or lean towards" physicalism about the mind, as against 27.1% who "accept or lean towards" non-physicalism, and 16.4% who are "others" (http://philpapers.org/surveys/).org/surveys/

SEP

Policymakers lean towards further tightening.

The Economist

I lean towards the latter.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I definitely do lean towards the 1970s-meets-modern 1970s-meets-modern 1970s-meets-modern

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Prospective international partners lean towards the former.

The Guardian

Nevertheless, people lean towards apathy rather than a protest vote.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lean towards believing" to express a provisional acceptance of an idea or concept, especially when evidence is not conclusive. It suggests a tentative agreement rather than a firm conviction.

Common error

Avoid using "lean towards believing" when you are absolutely certain. This phrase is best suited for situations where doubt or uncertainty still exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lean towards believing" functions as a verb phrase expressing a tentative or provisional acceptance of an idea or proposition. As Ludwig confirms, it suggests an inclination to accept something as true, but without complete certainty. Examples in Ludwig illustrate this nuanced usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

16%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lean towards believing" is a grammatically correct and usable verb phrase that indicates a tentative or provisional acceptance of an idea. Ludwig's analysis, supported by several examples, shows it is best suited for expressing opinions where certainty is not absolute. While Ludwig identifies the phrase as grammatically correct, its frequency is rare, primarily appearing in News & Media. For situations requiring stronger conviction, consider alternatives like "believe" or "am convinced". For scenarios needing more nuance, alternatives such as ""tend to believe"" or ""incline to think"" could be valuable. Avoid using it when expressing something for which you are certain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tend to believe

Uses "tend" instead of "lean towards", indicating a habitual inclination.

incline to think

Replaces "believe" with "think", suggesting a less firm conviction and "lean towards" with "incline".

am inclined to believe

Uses "inclined" to express tendency or willingness to believe.

be of the opinion

Formal expression indicating a personal judgement or view.

find myself believing

Emphasizes the speaker's surprise or realization about their belief.

suspect to be true

Suggests a belief based on limited evidence or intuition.

lean toward the view that

A more formal way of expressing a leaning towards a specific viewpoint.

have a feeling that

Indicates a belief based on intuition or a vague sense.

am apt to think

Replaces "lean towards" with "am apt to", indicating a natural tendency to think something.

am disposed to believe

Uses "disposed" to express a natural inclination towards a belief.

FAQs

How can I use "lean towards believing" in a sentence?

You can use "lean towards believing" to express a tentative acceptance of something. For example, "After reviewing the evidence, I "lean towards believing" his story".

What are some alternatives to "lean towards believing"?

Alternatives include "tend to believe", "incline to think", or "suspect to be true", depending on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to say "lean towards believing" or "tend to believe"?

"Lean towards believing" and ""tend to believe"" are both acceptable. The choice depends on the desired nuance; "lean towards believing" may suggest a more active or recent shift in opinion.

What's the difference between "lean towards believing" and "believe"?

"Lean towards believing" indicates a tentative or provisional acceptance, while "believe" implies a stronger, more certain conviction.