heels 1 of 2

Definition of heelsnext
plural of heel

heels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of heel
as in slopes
to set or cause to be at an angle the strong gust heeled the sailboat almost to the point of capsizing, but we managed to right it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 heels
Noun
Swanson is one of 28 mothers playing in the NWSL this season, and her return comes on the heels of her friend and fellow Triple Espresso member Sophia Wilson, who made her own official NWSL comeback on March 14. Asli Pelit, New York Times, 17 May 2026 Wear the grey option with blue jeans for a semi-casual look, or dress up the lime green or black version with trousers and heels. Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026 Today’s announcement comes on the heels of Netflix’s involvement in the five first Dogma 25 films, announced last week. Marta Balaga, Variety, 16 May 2026 Moore also wore a lavender off-the-shoulder gown crafted from sheer, shimmering fabric, complete with a flowing train and thigh-high slit that revealed matching lavender heels. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026 For more of Swift’s go-to heels, see more on her shoe style evolution below. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 16 May 2026 Instead of filling my suitcase with bulky sneakers, sky-high heels, and overly sporty athleisure, Sisto recommended chic staples like linen pants, comfortable sandals, breezy matching sets, and playful pops of color. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026 Fresh off the heels of an injury scare for Joe Ryan and news of a setback for starter Mick Abel, the Minnesota rotation was dealt another blow Saturday. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026 The latest development comes on the heels of a pair of research papers released in 2025. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Verb
Savoy Brown also wore Manolo Blahnik heels with a Hanut Singh ring. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026 These sultry heels have a subtle pink hue like the Elisabet Tang heels, as well as eye-catching hold hardware on the back. Jordan Julian, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026 The action then moves to a studio where Law Roach is styling Adrina Lima who is wearing an archival Maison Margiela top with a Miss Claire Sullivan skirt and Helmut Lang heels. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2025 Amanu, the youngest, is the most experimental, wearing business casual ties and button downs one day and trying on a sequined dress and heels the next. Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heels
Noun
  • About 90% of dogs with Lyme disease show no symptoms, the association said.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
  • This, afterall, was a family who when Avedon was a child growing up in Manhattan, would sometimes borrow other people’s pet dogs to complete the happy family photo.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Safer travel can be found on lower-angle terrain, generally slopes less than 30 degrees, particularly in areas sheltered from the wind.
    Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • One of my favorite choices is developing a dry creek bed that slopes away from a home's foundation.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Here, witches are real — and so are jerks.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • This was just the beginning of us young anarchists becoming judgmental jerks.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And two of the major chase scenes were designed so that what starts off as righteous somehow tilts toward being unjust.
    Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
  • The green tilts back and to the left.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Creators who want to pull both vertical and horizontal clips from one take can simply shoot at a wide angle and punch in to the frame to crop both angles out for YouTube and social apps.
    Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 13 May 2026
  • Hitters with tighter spray angles off the bat generally posted better batting averages.
    John Laghezza, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The four paintings are Joan Miró’s Composition (1953), Maurice Utrillo’s Maison de rendez-vous de chasse de Henri IV, rue Saint-Vincent, Montmartre (1934), Balthus’s Etude pour femme couchée (1948), and Pablo Picasso’s L’Ecuyere et les clowns (1961).
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 6 May 2026
  • Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • If the holes appear shallow, then they could be made by squirrels, looking for places to store nuts, or by skunks and raccoons, digging for grubs.
    Joan Morris, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
  • Only about 30 percent of all nests evade their many predators, including skunks, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, snakes, and even domestic dogs and cats.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The new series was filmed primarily outdoors in Texas, presenting challenges like extreme heat and venomous snakes.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • There are snakes and hyenas and wild dogs.
    Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heels. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on heels

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster