ENGLISH
REFERENCE

leeway

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫiˌweɪ// UK //lˈiːweɪ// lee·way

n. the amount of freedom or flexibility you have to make your own choices. It is the space between what you must do and what you can do.

n. the amount of freedom or flexibility allowed in a situation; the margin between a requirement and the actual performance.


SIMPLE

I need more leeway to finish the project on time.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager gave the team some leeway to choose their own travel dates as long as they met the deadline.

COMPLEX

While the contract provides a strict framework for daily operations, it leaves significant leeway for the creative director to experiment with new marketing strategies.

Synonyms
Origin

From lee (“side away from the wind”) + way.

© 2026 English Reference