heave 1 of 2

1
as in to hoist
to lift with effort I heaved my duffel bag into the bus's overhead compartment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
4
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

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
The Iraq war veteran sweated through his white T-shirt, heaving his belongings into a shopping cart. Quil Lawrence, NPR, 26 May 2025 In the end, the lights came back on across town at about 3:30pm here — and the city heaved an audible sigh of relief. Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 24 May 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns is leaning into a side-step two off the side of the backboard, and Cameron Payne’s buzzer-beating heave clanks off the shot clock. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025 Four minutes before Mihailovic’s heave, dos Santos denied him from the penalty spot to force the Rapids midfielder’s first miss of the season. Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for heave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heave
Verb
  • Other banners have been hoisted in recent weeks and stickers criticizing Bezos can be found all over town.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 June 2025
  • Several dozen people gathered for the ceremony Saturday as the sign was hoisted and attached, including officials from Chicago Ridge and Richards High School, as well as representatives from The Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, the Bridgeview School and the Nahda Center in Worth.
    Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Groups of patients that gradually increased dosage had lower rates of discontinuations and vomiting than those who did not.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 25 June 2025
  • Tom Cruise recalled that all the actors who tried to perform in those fighter jets vomited their brains out.
    Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Sealing your grout is a great way to prevent further staining and using a steam cleaner can help to lift the stains.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
  • The perpetrator has been banned indefinitely from all major league venues, but the incident has sparked a massive debate about how athletes are treated by the public, particularly since 2018, when the Supreme Court lifted a 1992 federal law prohibiting single-game wagering.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun.
    Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
  • Determined to defy the prognosis, Kamryn's dad threw himself into every possible treatment avenue—conventional and holistic.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Still gasping for air, Saldivar was returned to her cell in a wheelchair, her head tipped back over the seat.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2025
  • The best shapewear provides support, feels comfortable, and stays in place without leaving you gasping for air by lunchtime.
    Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • The thrust of Verdigets’ early focus would be business fundamentals — building a holding structure for Nateland, assessing and fine-tuning the company’s revenue-cost ratio, and helping to define its five key verticals, including Touring, Digital, TV/Film, Experiences, and Products and Merchandise.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 June 2025
  • Super Heavy alone is powered by 33 of SpaceX’s Raptor engines that give the initial burst of thrust at liftoff.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Sadly, Murphy believes, scrutiny hurled at the show’s Carolyn is eerily similar in to how the media and public treated Bessette-Kennedy.
    Marc Malkin, Variety, 19 June 2025
  • There were also reports of demonstrators hurling objects at police.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Although questions had been raised about whether the boat was properly secured — such as the hatches being left open to water — the new report found that weather was the primary risk, and that a burst of intense winds is believed to have tipped over the luxury yacht within a matter of seconds.
    David Chiu, People.com, 22 June 2025
  • Weil raised around $15 million, with the majority of it coming from donations that were $200 or less.
    Siena Duncan, Miami Herald, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heave. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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