ENGLISH
REFERENCE

leaked

v. · adj.
US //ˈɫikt// UK //lˈiːkt// leaked
  1. 1 liquid or gas escaping (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    escaped from a container through a small hole or crack.

    escaped from a vessel or conduit via a breach or structural failure. Intransitive or transitive depending on whether the substance or the container is the subject.

    Example

    Water leaked from the old pipe and made a mess on the floor.

    Example

    Toxic chemicals leaked into the groundwater for several months before the facility's monitoring system finally triggered an alarm.
  2. 2 sharing secrets (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    gave secret information to the public or the news without permission.

    disclosed confidential information to the public or the media, typically through an anonymous or unauthorised source.

    Example

    Someone leaked the private emails to the newspaper last night.

    Example

    An anonymous whistleblower leaked the classified documents to the press, sparking a national debate about government transparency and surveillance.
  3. 3 confidential and released (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    describes information that was supposed to be secret but was made public.

    referring to documents or data that have been released to the public without authorisation. Usually used before a noun.

    Example

    The leaked report showed that the company knew about the problem.

    Example

    The leaked transcripts of the private meeting caused a significant drop in the company's share price as investors reacted to the internal chaos.

Last updated June 19, 2026