leak
B2Neutral to formal (depending on context)
Definition
Meaning
To accidentally allow liquid, gas, or information to escape from a container or system.
The act or instance of such escape; an unintended disclosure of confidential information; a hole or crack through which something escapes.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can refer to both physical substances (water, gas) and abstract entities (information, secrets). Often implies unintended or undesirable escape.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling and grammar identical. Minor differences in collocational frequency in certain domains (e.g., 'leak to the press' is common in both).
Connotations
Identical negative connotations of accident, failure, or breach of trust.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Something leaks (intransitive)Someone leaks something (transitive)Someone leaks something to someoneSomething leaks from somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Spring a leak”
- “Leak like a sieve”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to unauthorized disclosure of financial data, merger plans, or internal memos.
Academic
Used in discussions of data integrity, experimental controls, or historical document releases.
Everyday
Commonly describes plumbing problems, roof damage, or gossip.
Technical
In engineering: loss of pressure or fluid from a system. In computing: loss of data or memory.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The roof leaks whenever it rains heavily.
- An official allegedly leaked the documents to The Guardian.
American English
- The faucet has been leaking for a week.
- Details of the product were leaked to the Wall Street Journal.
adverb
British English
- The water poured leakily from the cracked jug.
American English
- The old hose sprayed leakily all over the patio.
adjective
British English
- We need to replace the leaky pipe under the sink.
- The investigation focused on the leaky bureaucracy.
American English
- They fixed the leaky roof before winter.
- The software update patched a leaky data API.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bottle leaks. Be careful.
- There is a leak in the bathroom.
- The pipe started to leak after the cold weather.
- Someone leaked the exam questions online.
- The government is trying to identify who leaked the sensitive report.
- A slow air leak caused the tyre to go flat gradually.
- The whistleblower's identity was protected after they leaked evidence of corporate malfeasance.
- The study's methodology was criticised for potential data leaks in its sampling procedure.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LEAKing boat – water is getting in where it shouldn't, just like secrets LEAK out of an organization.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION IS A FLUID (it flows, leaks, is contained or released). SECRECY IS A CONTAINER (it can be strong or have holes).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'ликать' (non-existent). For fluid: use 'протекать'. For information: use 'утечка (информации)' or 'разглашать'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'The news was leaked out to the media.' (redundant) Correct: 'The news was leaked to the media.'
- Confusing 'leak' (verb/noun) with 'leek' (vegetable).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'leak' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly yes, as it implies an unwanted escape or breach. However, in contexts like investigative journalism, a 'leak' can be seen positively as exposing truth.
'Leak' implies escape through a hole or crack, often slowly. 'Spill' usually implies a more sudden, accidental overflow from the top of a container.
Yes. 'There are three leaks in the roof' (countable). It can also be uncountable: 'The problem is leak, not blockage.'
It's an idiom meaning to suddenly start leaking, often used for boats or containers. E.g., 'The old rowboat sprang a leak and began to sink.'