leaner and meaner
More efficient, tougher
Leaner and meaner describes something that has been streamlined and made more aggressive or efficient.
Organizations become leaner and meaner through cost-cutting and restructuring: After the layoffs, the company emerged leaner and meaner.
The phrase suggests trimming excess while sharpening competitive edge—less fat, more muscle.
- declutteredFreed from unnecessary items
- bare bonesMinimal necessary elements
- minimalistOne favoring bare essentials
- no frillsWithout extras or embellishments
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
cost-effective · trimmed · restructured · adaptive · agile · frugal · aggressive · condensed · battle-ready · hungry · simplified · assertive · cutthroat · tenacious · stripped-down · cut to the bone · productive · modernized
leaner and meanerbloated
Swelled from excess
fat and happy · overstaffed · bureaucratic · top-heavy · wasteful
leaner and meanercomplacent
Uncritically self-satisfied
fat and happy · soft · satisfied · lazy · self-satisfied
leaner and meanerout of shape
Lacking physical conditioning
overweight · pudgy · doughy · unfit · weak
lean, leaner, leanest, leanly, leanness, mean, meaner, meanest, meanly