heave 1 of 2

verb

ˈhēv How to pronounce heave (audio)
Definition of heavenext
1
as in to hoist
to lift with effort I heaved my duffel bag into the bus's overhead compartment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to vomit
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth heaved as soon as he stepped off the roller coaster

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position heaved the bucket from the bottom of the well

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm heaved the brick over the fence

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to gasp
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty by the time he reached the top step of the tower, he was heaving

Synonyms & Similar Words

heave

2 of 2

noun

as in thrust

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb heave contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of heave are boost, elevate, hoist, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When might boost be a better fit than heave?

The synonyms boost and heave are sometimes interchangeable, but boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for heave?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When is hoist a more appropriate choice than heave?

The meanings of hoist and heave largely overlap; however, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

Where would lift be a reasonable alternative to heave?

The words lift and heave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

When can raise be used instead of heave?

The words raise and heave can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How do rear and raise relate to one another, in the sense of heave?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of heave
Verb
Instead, Lubin had to heave up a potential game-tying three-pointer, which bounced off the rim, and Duke had escaped. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 15 Mar. 2025 Sotheby’s was heaving before the 7 p.m. kick-off, with packed seats and an excited crowd thronged at the back of the salesroom. —George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
Between an awe-inspiring behind-the-head pass and a buzzer-beating halfcourt heave, Gray had not only the two of the best plays of the day en route to her 18-point, eight-assist effort to beat the Vinyl 62-54. —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025 Then Maryland fell to No. 8 Michigan State in late February at the buzzer on an improbable half-court heave. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heave
  1. hoist
  2. vomit
  3. lift
  4. throw
  5. gasp
  6. thrust
  7. hurl
  8. raise
Verb
  • After first hoisting her New York City apartment on the market in early March for just under $8 million, Ellie Kemper has now lowered the price of her Manhattan digs on Central Park West.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The shot tuna were then hoisted onto a support vessel, ready to be frozen at minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit and start their long journey to foreign markets.
    — Julia Amberger, Nanni Fontana, Marzio Mian, & Nicola Scevola (Tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of hoist
Verb
  • According to the mother, the infant vomited multiple times over the next few days, so an appointment was set up with a pediatrician on April 4, 2023, according to the warrant affidavit.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2025
  • If consumed, Salmonella infection side effects could be vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and fever, the FDA says.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of vomit
Verb
  • Each carriage turns 360 degrees while lifting riders to 6 feet in the air.
    — Samantha Neely, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
  • He’s made a conscious effort to lift the ball more, and he’s continued to walk as he’s climbed the system.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Several viral videos have captured audiences of the blockbuster video game adaptation going wild, throwing food and drink, and trashing auditoriums.
    — Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • During the club’s heavy defeat at home to Chelsea on December 4, Solak, sitting in a hospitality suite behind the press box, was visibly angry, throwing his arms around in frustration as the team continued to pass out from the back under immense pressure from the opposition.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of throw
Verb
  • The crowd was left gasping in shock when the woman surprisingly began giving the berries live tongue action without hesistation.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The second clip teased the level of gore fans can expect from the film, with a scene of bloody child endangerment that made multiple audience members gasped and looked away.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of gasp
Noun
  • Taken aback by the thrust and speed of his initiatives, many countries have bent the knee.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
  • This will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used in the final braking thrust, and the gear to stabilize the lander once on the surface.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of thrust
Verb
  • Since mid-March, the U.S. military has hurled more than $200 million worth of missiles, bombs, and rockets into the remote deserts and mountains of Yemen, in what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dubbed, with sublime ahistorical clumsiness, Operation Rough Rider.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Avery hurls the ball toward the basket, hitting the rim but missing.
    — Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of hurl
Verb
  • At the same time, these updates raise questions about the Oscars broadcast itself.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • While most drug products were exempt from the latest round of tariffs that took effect the same day, Trump's continued push has raised industry concerns.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of raise

Browse Nearby Words

heat wave
heave
heaved
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heave. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on heave

Nglish: Translation of heave for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heave

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All