leverage
Americannoun
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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.
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the mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever.
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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.
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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)
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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.
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to provide with leverage.
The board of directors plans to leverage two failing branches of the company with an influx of cash.
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to invest or arrange (invested funds) using leverage.
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to exert power or influence on.
It was Joe who leveraged her to change her habits.
noun
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the action of a lever
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the mechanical advantage gained by employing a lever
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power to accomplish something; strategic advantage
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the enhanced power available to a large company
the supermarket chains have greater leverage than single-outlet enterprises
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US word for gearing
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the use made by a company of its limited assets to guarantee the substantial loans required to finance its business
Other Word Forms
- nonleveraged adjective
- unleveraged adjective
Etymology
Origin of leverage
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Potential credit risks include the prospective debt-funded structure, Fitch’s expectation of materially elevated leverage and limited visibility on post-transaction financial policy and capital structure,” Fitch said.
From Los Angeles Times
But gold slid 4% on Tuesday, a sign some investors were unwinding leveraged positions.
The semiconductor-component maker’s operating profit is likely to benefit from stronger operating leverage, which supports earnings growth through higher volumes, improved product mix and better manufacturing efficiencies.
AI is seen as both enhancing security and creating new vulnerabilities, with hackers also leveraging AI tools.
From Barron's
In a report on Monday, Fitch warned of the risk that Paramount’s financial and leverage targets will slip, and downgraded the group’s credit rating to BB+ from BBB-, and placed it on rating watch negative.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
