have

\ ˈhav

How to pronounce have (audio)

, (h)əv, v; in "have to" meaning "must" usually ˈhaf \

had\ ˈhad

How to pronounce have (audio)

, (h)əd , d \; having\ ˈha-viŋ

How to pronounce have (audio)

\; has\ ˈhaz

How to pronounce have (audio)

, (h)əz , z , s ; in "has to" meaning "must" usually ˈhas \

Definition of have

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to hold or maintain as a possession, privilege, or entitlement they have a new car I have my rights

b : to hold in one's use, service, regard, or at one's disposal the group will have enough tickets for everyone we don't have time to stay

c : to hold, include, or contain as a part or whole the car has power brakes April has 30 days

2 : to feel obligation in regard to —usually used with an infinitive with towe have things to dohave a deadline to meet

3 : to stand in a certain relationship to has three fine children we will have the wind at our backs

4a : to acquire or get possession of : obtain these shoes are the best to be had

b : receive She asked if he had any news.

c : accept so burnt no one would have a piece specifically : to accept in marriage could find no one who would have him

d : to copulate with claims to have had many women

5a : to be marked or characterized by (a quality, attribute, or faculty) both have red hair has a way with words

b : exhibit, show had the gall to refuse

c : use, exercise have mercy on us

6a : to experience especially by submitting to, undergoing, or suffering I have a cold

b : to make the effort to perform (an action) or engage in (an activity) have a look at that cut

c : to entertain in the mind have an opinion

7a : to cause or command to do something —used with the infinitive without tohave the children stay

b : to cause to be in a certain place or state has people around at all times

8 : allow we'll have no more of that

9 : to be competent in has only a little French

10a : to hold in a position of disadvantage or certain defeat we have him now

b : to take advantage of : trick, fool been had by a partner

11 : bear sense 3a have a baby

12 : to partake of have dinner have a piece

13 : bribe, suborn can be had for a price

1 —used with the past participle to form the present perfect, past perfect, or future perfecthas gone homehad already eatenwill have finished dinner by then

2 : to be compelled, obliged, or required —used with an infinitive with to or to alonewe had to godo what you have toit has to be said

had better or had best

: would be wise to had better go to bed

have at

: to go at or deal with : attack like two boxers having at each other

have coming

: to deserve or merit what one gets, benefits by, or suffers he had that coming

have done

: finish, stop wish you would have done before I go mad

have done with

: to bring to an end : have no further concern with let us have done with name-calling

have had it

1 : to have had or have done all one is going to be allowed to He's been cheating me for years but now he's had it.

2 : to have experienced, endured, or suffered all one can Her old beater has finally had it.

have it

: assert, claim rumor has it that he was drunk

have it in for

: to intend to do harm to

have it out

: to settle a matter of contention by discussion or a fight thinks they just need to have it out

have none of

: to refuse to have anything to do with We will have none of that.

have one's eye on

1a : to look at

b : to watch constantly and attentively

2 : to have as an objective has her eye on a little cottage in the country

have to do with

1 : to deal with the story has to do with real people— Alice M. Jordan

2 : to have a specified relationship with or effect on the size of the brain has nothing to do with intelligence— Ruth Benedict

have

\ ˈhav

How to pronounce have (audio)

\

Definition of have (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that is well-endowed especially in material wealth the haves and have-nots

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about have

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Examples of have in a Sentence

Verb Do they have a new car? You can have it until I get back. She has a red bike, and I have a blue one. She got another part-time job and now she has two jobs. I'm looking for the newspaper. Do you have it? He had the newspaper right in his hand. I used to have a necklace like that, but I lost it. She used to share a room with her sister, but now she has her own room. Have they got a new car? We've got things to do. Noun a society that discriminates between the haves and the have-nots

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb With all the players who have spent time out over the past two months, the Michigan State game should’ve provided a first glance at Johnson in meaningful snaps. — Stephen Means, cleveland, "Jeremy Ruckert, Luke Farrell validate the tight end experience in Ohio State football’s win over Clemson: Stephen Means’ observations," 4 Jan. 2021 Of the 18 Super Bowl champions who’ve been crowned since 2002, their records against divisional opponents have been all over the place. — Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "The Saints have a chance to make history Sunday: No team has ever swept the NFC South.," 2 Jan. 2021 Loyal customers and corporate clients like GCI and ConocoPhillips who’ve ordered lunches for their workers, have helped to keep him afloat and employing a few workers. — Anchorage Daily News, "As the year ends, let’s check in with some memorable Alaskans we met in 2020," 1 Jan. 2021 Many people who’ve received the first two shots deployed, one from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE and another from Moderna Inc., have experienced fever, headache and pain at the site of the injection. — John Lauerman, Fortune, "Everything to know about allergic reactions to COVID vaccines," 31 Dec. 2020 Most who’ve previously filled her office have been treated gently by the press and politicians. — Frederick M. Hess, National Review, "Betsy DeVos Speaks Out on Four Years of ‘Truly Disheartening’ Attacks," 17 Dec. 2020 Modern smartphones have amazing cameras that would’ve left the polaroid and disposable-era users envious. — Popular Science, "We’ve rounded up 21 deals on stocking stuffers that won’t break the bank," 15 Dec. 2020 But legislators who’ve sponsored constitutional carry bills have been stopped, unable to get a hearing or any serious consideration. — Margaret Menge, Washington Examiner, "Constitutional carry bills expected in Indiana," 15 Dec. 2020 The Cardinal, who have had as many games (four) canceled or postponed this season than they’ve played, arrived in Berkeley on Saturday following 10 days holed up in Las Vegas. — Rusty Simmons, SFChronicle.com, "Stanford’s VanDerveer equals wins record in customary fashion: calm and dominating," 13 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun There are some good intentions involved but the haves still grifting the have-nots during the apocalypse is sketchy to the max. — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, "Too soon? The 5 freakiest takeaways from Michael Bay's COVID thriller 'Songbird'," 12 Dec. 2020 Twitter has suspended at least a dozen accounts Trump retweeted or quoted, and at least 16 more have since been deactivated, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Media Matters for America. — Max Kutner, Wired, "@Team_Trump45 and the Hazards of Online Sleuthing," 29 Oct. 2020 Only a third have friends who don’t think like them. — Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, "Kids today: 4 in 10 call Constitution ‘outdated,’ OK with silencing speech," 28 Oct. 2020 The Nick Saban case illustrates the stark difference between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ in college athletics. — oregonlive, "Elite running community illustrates what makes this state special: Oregon track & field rundown," 22 Oct. 2020 The logistical complexities of mounting shows during a pandemic have, Mr. Glimcher admitted, been nightmarish. — Tess Thackara, New York Times, "For High-End Galleries, It’s a Season of Upended Exhibitions," 22 Oct. 2020 Ownership of both is a must for the haves and a never-never land for the have-nots. — Scott Burns, Dallas News, "Job losses for high earners hit the economy. For low-wage workers, they hit home," 9 Oct. 2020 Will the ‘haves’ play nice with the ‘have-nots’ — and vice versa? — Teddy Greenstein, chicagotribune.com, "With a restart vote coming soon, which Big Ten schools most want to play football? Here’s a ranking.," 12 Sep. 2020 As for eating out, outside or inside a plastic dome designed to separate the haves from the have-nots? — Rachel Levin, SFChronicle.com, "So you love a restaurant. Are you morally obligated to buy takeout right now?," 3 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'have.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More about have

Dictionary Entries near have

have a bee in one's bonnet

Statistics for have

Last Updated

6 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Have.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for have

have

\ ˈhav, həv, əv, in sense 3 before "to" usually ˈhaf \

past & past participle had\ ˈhad , həd , əd \; present participle having\ ˈha-viŋ \; present third person singular has\ ˈhas , həz , əz \

Kids Definition of have

1 : to hold or own I have the tickets.

2 : to possess as a characteristic She has red hair.

3 : to eat or drink Let's have dinner. I had some water.

4 : to consist of or contain April has 30 days.

5 : to be affected by I have a cold.

6 : to plan, organize, and run (an event) We're having a party.

7 : to give birth to She had twins.

8 : to cause to be How often do you have your hair cut?

9 : to stand in some relationship to I have many friends.

10 : to perform a function or engage in an activity He had a fight with his best friend.

11 : experience I had fun.

12 : to hold in the mind I have an idea.

13 : obtain, gain, get It's the best car to be had.

14 : to cause to I'll have them call you.

15 : permit entry 1 sense 1 We'll have none of that.

16 : trick entry 2 We've been had.

17 —used as a helping verb with the past participle of another verbMy friend has gone home.

18 : to be forced or feel obliged They have to stay.

19 : exercise entry 2 sense 1, use have mercy

had better or had best

: would be wise to You had better finish your homework.

have to do with

1 : to be about That book has to do with trucks.

2 : to be involved in or responsible for Luck had nothing to do with her success.

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