ENGLISH
REFERENCE

leaner

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫinɝ// UK //lˈiːnɐ// lean·er

adj. having less fat or being thinner than before. You also use it to describe a business or system that uses fewer people or less money to do the same work.

adj. the comparative form of 'lean'; describes a person or animal with less body fat, or an organization that has become more efficient by reducing waste and personnel.


SIMPLE

The athlete looks much leaner after months of training.

CONTEXTUAL

After the merger, the company emerged as a leaner organization with a smaller but more specialized workforce.

COMPLEX

By adopting just-in-time manufacturing, the factory achieved a leaner production cycle that significantly reduced the capital tied up in unsold inventory.

Usage

Comparative form of the adjective 'lean'. Often used in business contexts to imply improved efficiency through cost-cutting.

Pitfall

He is more lean than his brother.He is leaner than his brother.One-syllable adjectives usually take the '-er' suffix for comparatives rather than the word 'more'.

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