leveraged

1 of 2

adjective

lev·​er·​aged ˈle-və-rijd How to pronounce leveraged (audio)
ˈlē-;
ˈlev-rijd, 
ˈlēv-
Synonyms of leveragednext
1
: having a high proportion of debt relative to equity
2
of the purchase of a company : made with borrowed money that is secured by the assets of the company bought
a leveraged buyout

leveraged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of leverage entry 2

Examples of leveraged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Clapp said the firm focuses on avoiding highly leveraged companies and floating-rate debt, instead favoring investments with dependable cash flows to support clients over the long term. — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 The stakes are especially high here because the new company is highly leveraged, with roughly $80 billion in debt and an aggressive timeline to pay it down. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Ratings agencies and investors are fretting about leverage as the combined company enters a shifting media landscape with $80 billion in debt after one of the biggest leveraged buyouts in corporate history. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 Beyond attempting to smooth the industry’s many ruffled feathers, Hollywood’s newest mogul must now also wrestle down an astonishing $80 billion in debt accrued as a result of this highly leveraged merger. — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leveraged

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leveraged was in 1953

Phrases Containing leveraged

Browse Nearby Words

leverage
leveraged
leveraged buyout
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leveraged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leveraged. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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