leanings

Leanings, the plural of leaning, refers to inclinations, tendencies, or opinions of people or groups. It can also describe a physical tilt or slope of an object, though in everyday use the former sense is more common. The term derives from the verb lean, meaning to incline or bend, and conveys a sense of direction without asserting a fixed position.

In social and political discourse, leanings are used to describe someone’s or a population’s general orientation: political leanings, cultural leanings, or aesthetic leanings. They are inferred from statements, actions, voting patterns, or expressed preferences and are often imperfect proxies for underlying values. Leanings can change over time as information, experiences, or social influences accumulate. They can be nuanced and non-binary, encompassing a spectrum rather than a single label.

In research, measuring leanings involves surveys, latent-variable models, or qualitative analysis of discourse. Analysts distinguish leanings from related concepts such as biases, which refer to systematic distortions, and convictions or beliefs, which imply more asserted certainty.

In engineering or architecture, a physical lean refers to a tilt away from true vertical or level, with structural implications for stability and design.

See also inclination, preference, bias, orientation, tilt.