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
This season, Brentford have heaved 92 throw-ins directly into the penalty area from the attacking quarter of the pitch. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 May 2025 Bridges ripped the ball away and heaved it down the court as time expired, clinching the Knicks’ 108-105 win. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Noun
The club had new ownership, new belief and new investment, but there was something about the heave and swell of Tyneside that had always appealed to Howe. —George Caulkin, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025 Oceanside discus thrower Jayden Gibbs climbed to the top of the list in the boys discus with a heave of 162-8 — well beyond his previous mark of 155-6. Canyon Crest Academy’s Amaya Estes, already No. 1 in the long jump, improved that mark to 18-9 ¾ in the Division 1 meet at Del Norte. —Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 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
  • Graham took the opportunity to do so, calling it a career after the Eagles hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy.
    — Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
  • The Omni La Costa resort in Carlsbad, CA, has been a classic sport to swing a golf club, hoist a racket or hold a highball since its founding in the mid-1960’s.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
Definition of hoist
Verb
  • This can take many forms, such as forcing oneself to vomit or by using laxatives or diuretics.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • Patients sickened by it can develop stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and the urge to vomit anywhere from six hours to six days after infection, the CDC says.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 31 May 2025
Definition of vomit
Verb
  • Filler can’t lift sagging skin or reposition deeper tissue; a facelift is a literal lifting, cutting, and repositioning.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 16 June 2025
  • Hundreds of people showed up to the opening, which was the day after Portland lifted its indoor mask mandate, and in the middle of the N.C.A.A. tournament.
    — Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • He’s compensated by throwing a ton of sliders, with just over a 40% usage rate.
    — Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Rollins threw Knight into the ladder and then hit him with a Stomp.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025
Definition of throw
Verb
  • His smooth, yet herky-jerky style has had defenses guessing and gasping all season.
    — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
  • These teens were sometimes gasping and talking to the screen, laughing at points, fully immersed, fully relating, even feeling nostalgic for TikTok trends that were popping three years ago.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Definition of gasp
Noun
  • This new thrust demonstrates how Patel has implemented meaningful change as he has been given more authority.
    — R. Scott Raynovich, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • At every thrust the tip of the blade entered an inch or two into the ground and threw up small puffs of dust.
    — Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 10 June 2025
Definition of thrust
Verb
  • Demonstrators blocked the 101 Freeway, set self-driving cars ablaze and hurled incendiary devices — and, in some cases, chunks of concrete — at law enforcement officers.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • Jackie Chan is one of the greatest stuntmen ever, mostly for his willingness to hurl himself into extreme danger and his ability to keep delivering his lines afterward – not to mention basically inventing the Kung Fu comedy genre.
    — Joe Salas June 07, New Atlas, 7 June 2025
Definition of hurl
Verb
  • In November, voters in Hawley's home state of Missouri approved a ballot measure to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour, starting in 2026.
    — / CBS News, CBS News, 10 June 2025
  • Other potential violations of the Byrd Rule could include the elimination of Medicaid funding for transgender care and a proposal to raise immigration fees.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 10 June 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 20 Jun. 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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
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 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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All