leakage

leakage — noun

1. the escape of a liquid or gas through an unintended opening such as a hole, crac

1.nounB2
Definition

the escape of a liquid or gas through an unintended opening such as a hole, crack, or damaged seal

Example

Tunde called a plumber after noticing a slow water leakage under the kitchen sink.

collocation: water leakage / gas leakage

The factory shut down two machines when a gas leakage was detected near the tanks.

passive: was detected / was found

Common collocations
  • water leakage
  • gas leakage
  • oil leakage
  • chemical leakage
  • leakage rate
  • prevent leakage
  • detect leakage
  • stop leakage
  • cause leakage
  • slow leakage
  • minor leakage
Synonyms
  • leak

    more concrete — names the hole or the event; 'leakage' is more abstract, focusing on the process or amount

  • seepage

    slower, gradual escape through porous material rather than a distinct hole

  • discharge

    more formal or technical, can be intentional or unintentional release

Antonyms
  • containment

    the act of keeping a substance within its intended boundary

  • sealing

    the action of closing openings to prevent escape

Grammar Patterns

uncountable: Leakage of [substance] is/was [adjective]

countable: There is/was a leakage of [substance]

Usage Note

Frequently uncountable when describing the general phenomenon ('Leakage of chemicals must be prevented'). Countable when referring to a specific occurrence or measured amount ('Three separate leakages were reported this month'). 'Leak' (the noun) is more common for naming the hole or incident itself; 'leakage' emphasises the process or the amount that escapes.

Common Mistakes

There is a water leakage in the pipe' (when referring to the hole)
There is a water leak in the pipe
'leak' names the hole or break; 'leakage' names the process or amount that escapes.

2. the unauthorized or accidental release of private, classified, or sensitive info

2.nounB2
Definition

the unauthorized or accidental release of private, classified, or sensitive information to people who should not have access to it

Example

The hospital faced a fine after an information leakage exposed patient records to the public.

collocation: information leakage / data leakage

Saira's team installed new software to prevent any further leakage of customer data.

prevent + noun: prevent leakage of [something]

Common collocations
  • data leakage
  • information leakage
  • customer data leakage
  • classified leakage
  • prevent leakage
  • investigate leakage
  • leakage of information
  • leakage of data
Synonyms
  • leak

    more common in everyday English for the information sense; 'leakage' is more formal

  • disclosure

    can be either intentional or accidental; often used in legal contexts

  • divulgence

    formal; emphasises the act of revealing something that was meant to stay secret

Antonyms
  • confidentiality

    the state of keeping information private and protected

  • secrecy

    the practice of keeping information hidden from unauthorised people

Grammar Patterns

uncountable: [information/data] leakage is/was [adjective]

countable: There was a leakage of [classified material]

Usage Note

Typically uncountable ('Data leakage is a growing concern for online retailers'). Countable use is rare and restricted to formal or investigative contexts ('A leakage of sensitive material occurred'). In everyday English, 'leak' is far more common for the information sense ('a leak to the press'). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense applies only to information, secrets, or data — never to physical substances.

Common Mistakes

There was a leakage of information to the newspaper
There was a leak of information to the newspaper
for specific incidents, 'leak' is the natural word; 'leakage' sounds overly formal.

Word family

  • leak
    verbB1
  • leak
    nounB1
  • leaky
    adjectiveB2
  • leaked
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something getting out of where it belongs, but they differ in emphasis. 'Leak' is the broadest and most concrete — it names the hole, the event, or the substance itself ('a gas leak'). 'Leakage' focuses on the process or amount that escapes ('leakage of 50 litres'). 'Seepage' suggests a slow, gradual movement through porous material rather than a distinct opening, like water moving through concrete. 'Discharge' is more formal and can be intentional (a factory discharging waste) or unintentional. 'Escape' emphasises that something has broken free from confinement ('Escape of toxic fumes'). For everyday use, 'leak' is the most natural choice; 'leakage' suits technical or formal writing about volumes and rates.

leak ↗seepagedischarge ↗escape ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • leakage of [water / gas / information]
  • prevent leakage
  • detect leakage
  • cause leakage
  • leakage problem

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglishFrench suffix

Formed from the Middle English verb 'leken' (to leak) — which came from Old Norse 'leka' — combined with the suffix '-age', borrowed from French. The '-age' suffix turns a verb into a noun that means 'the action or result of X'. So 'leakage' literally means 'the action or result of leaking'. The word first appeared in English around the 1400s, and for centuries it referred only to liquids or gases escaping from containers. The figurative use for secret information emerged in the mid-1900s.