heist

1 of 2

verb

heisted; heisting; heists
Synonyms of heistnext

transitive verb

1
chiefly dialectal : hoist
2
a
: to commit armed robbery on

heist

2 of 2

noun

: armed robbery : holdup
also : theft

Synonyms of heist

Examples of heist in a Sentence

Verb a professional burglar was able to heist a box of jewelry from the safe in the closet Noun it was the largest jewelry heist in the city's history
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
An unusual criminal ring focused entirely on heisting semi-trucks, trailers and dump trucks has been busted in Florida, resulting in $6 million worth of heavy equipment being found, according to investigators. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025 Organic eggs are $9.99 a dozen and have become so valuable people are stealing them — in Pennsylvania, 100,000 eggs worth $40,000 were heisted just this week, followed by another egg caper in Seattle. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
Lewis started investigating and began to piece together how the tequila heist was pulled off. Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025 Unfolding with the tension of a heist movie, the film doesn't just entertain as an action thriller but also gives valid reasons as to what led each activist to take such drastic measures in the hope of saving the planet. Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heist

Word History

Etymology

Verb

variant of hoist entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heist was circa 1778

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heist. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

heist

noun
ˈhīst
: armed robbery
also : theft
Etymology

Noun

from a dialect variant of hoist "an act of hoisting"

More from Merriam-Webster on heist

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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