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
German heist drama Banksters is getting a worldwide launch next month, and another Italian drama, Melania Rea – Beyond the Case, from Stand By Me, is following later in the year. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026 In this black comedy adapted from the graphic novel, when a bunch of thugs come to her door demanding that Paige’s grandfather (Liam Neeson) help them out with a bank heist, Paige decides to rescue him by doing it herself, with her friends. Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026 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 14 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

heist

noun
ˈhīst
: armed robbery
also : theft
Etymology

Noun

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

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