leverage
/ˈliː.vər.ɪdʒ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
Power or influence you can use to get an advantage. It can also mean the use of borrowed money to increase profits or losses.
- She used her leverage to negotiate a better salary.
- The company took on too much leverage.
verb
To use something well so you get a better result. Often, it means using a strength, resource, or contact to help achieve a goal.
- We should leverage our existing customer base.
- He leveraged his contacts to find a job.
Adinary Nuance
Leverage is stronger and more strategic than use or useful. In business and academic English, it often means using a resource, skill, or connection to get an advantage. As a noun, it can also mean financial borrowing, which is a different sense from everyday power or influence.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tận dụng
- Spanish
- aprovechar
- Chinese
- 利用
- Japanese
- 活用する
- Korean
- 활용하다
Etymology
Leverage comes from French levier, meaning “lever,” and entered English in the 19th century. The idea is of using a lever to gain more force, which explains the modern meanings.
Common phrases
leverage your skillsleverage existing resourcesfinancial leverageuse leverage
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is leverage formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. People often use it in business, academic, and professional English.
- What is the difference between leverage and use?
- Use is general. Leverage means use something in a smart way to get a bigger result or advantage.
- Can leverage mean borrowed money?
- Yes. In finance, leverage means using borrowed money to increase possible profit or loss.
- Is leverage a common IELTS word?
- Yes. It is common in IELTS Writing and Speaking, especially in business and academic topics.