ENGLISH
REFERENCE

leased

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫist// UK //lˈiːsd// leased

v. to pay money to use something, like a car or a building, for a specific period of time. It is like renting, but usually involves a formal legal agreement.

v. to grant or obtain the use of property or equipment under a contract for a specified period in exchange for regular payments. Often implies a more formal or long-term arrangement than 'rent'.


SIMPLE

The company leased a new office in the city center.

CONTEXTUAL

Instead of buying the delivery vans outright, the small business leased them to keep their initial costs low.

COMPLEX

The developer leased the land from the local government for ninety-nine years, intending to build a complex of residential apartments and retail spaces.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; it can describe both the act of the owner giving the use and the tenant receiving it.

Pitfall

I leased to a car for three yearsI leased a car for three yearsLease is a transitive verb and does not require a preposition before the object.

© 2026 English Reference