lean and mean

adjective

efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective

“He's a lean and mean fighting machine.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectivelean and mean (comparative leaner and meaner, superlative leanest and meanest)

comparative leaner and meaner · superlative leanest and meanest

  1. colloquialefficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective

    He's a lean and mean fighting machine.

Cite this entry
APA

lean and mean. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lean%20and%20mean

MLA

“lean and mean.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lean%20and%20mean. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lean and mean,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lean%20and%20mean.

Source: lean and mean on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.