heel 1 of 2

Definition of heelnext

heel

2 of 2

verb

as in to slope
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 heel
Noun
This new third-cuff overlap design—which Salomon is calling ExoDrive—is meant to improve heel retention and optimize energy transfer to the ski. Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026 Abrams arrived for the show dressed in a black, white and canary yellow Chanel houndstooth jacket styled with beige trousers and cap-toe heels. Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026 The ribbed knit can be dressed up with a pair of heels and jewelry or down with a jacket and sneakers. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026 The agenda comes on the heels of a series of HUD spending cuts, including a 30% cap on permanent housing investments and the end of a federal emergency housing voucher program that local homelessness officials estimate would put 14,500 people on the streets. Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heel
Verb
  • In Eaton Canyon, gently sloping trails lead to a waterfall tucked away in the forest.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The property abuts a sloping canyon.
    Ashley Mackin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Drift through the crowd as the smell of smoky jerk chicken and grilled cheese mingles with fresh lumpia, vegan soul bowls, and small-batch kombucha.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • The Store offers flavors such as buffalo, garlic parmesan, barbecue, sweet chili, Torrington Hot, mango habanero, Jamaican jerk, spicy harissa, lemon pepper, Marsala, spicy Mediterranean, Tunisian buffalo and garlic hot.
    Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Even the display screen tilts forward.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Perez hit Ripley with a tilt-a-whirl hurricanrana, and Sky took out Perez.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • However, one quick look at what companies like Boston Dynamics has achieved with robots like the rather creepy dog-like ‘Spot,’ who herds sheep in New Zealand, and the possibilities seem endless.
    Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • While dogs and wolves are genetically almost indistinguishable, the biologist John Bradshaw has studied how vastly different their behavior is.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In a conventional turbine, blades are angled to deflect fluid flow and convert kinetic energy into mechanical work.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Jan. 2026
  • This usually involves new walls, ceilings, floors, angled sound attenuation, and even sound dampeners.
    Cori Sears, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Brewer depicts the world of music impersonators with a fair amount of affection, like the rodeo clowns of late 20th-century America.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Cirque du Soleil is known for its shows featuring acrobats, athletes and clowns – all doing spectacular feats.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Those snakes went on to reproduce and thrive in South Florida’s subtropical climate, decimating some ecosystems.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Attendees can explore a wide variety of reptiles available for purchase, including snakes, lizards, turtles and more.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The critters who drop in or call the space home range from monarch butterflies, ladybugs and lizards to hummingbirds and bushtits, skunks, opossums and even the occasional mountain lion.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026
  • Thiols are responsible for the distinctive aromas of skunk spray and ripe durian; they’re also added to natural gas to provide a detectable rotten-egg smell at even trace levels.
    Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heel. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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