hale 1 of 2

hale

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verb

as in to haul
to cause to follow by applying steady force on the fishermen haled the huge net onto the deck of the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hale distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of hale are healthy, robust, sound, well, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

When can healthy be used instead of hale?

Although the words healthy and hale have much in common, healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

In what contexts can robust take the place of hale?

The words robust and hale can be used in similar contexts, but robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When is sound a more appropriate choice than hale?

While the synonyms sound and hale are close in meaning, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When is it sensible to use well instead of hale?

While in some cases nearly identical to hale, well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

When could wholesome be used to replace hale?

In some situations, the words wholesome and hale are roughly equivalent. However, wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

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 hale
Adjective
The Chamber of Commerce dream demographic for new Angelenos was hale, white, middle- and yeoman-class Americans. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 At a hale 77, Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a medical biochemist, botanist, organic chemist, poet, author and developer of artificial blood. New York Times, 24 Feb. 2022
Verb
Haley, among others, haled the fact that budget cutting efforts took some $285 million, or roughly 5 percent, out of the U.N.’s budget last December. George Russell, Fox News, 16 May 2018 China Money Network Crypto crackdown China, home to the world’s biggest community of Bitcoin miners, is cracking down on cryptocurrency activity, haling trade of virtual currencies on domestic exchanges and banning initial currency offerings. Clay Chandler, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2018 See All Example Sentences for hale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hale
Adjective
  • Eating more magnesium-rich foods, like beans, can help keep cortisol at a healthy level.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Even those with strong revenue or healthy margins fall apart during due diligence or fail to attract serious buyers.
    Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Thousands of pounds of marijuana After returning with a search warrant, authorities found and began hauling away thousands of pounds of marijuana in different forms, beginning late last week and lasting through the weekend.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the 28 Starlink satellites toward low Earth orbit, where they're scheduled to be deployed 64 minutes after launch.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Crockpots are still made well, as are, in my experience anyway, the more modernized version: Instant Pots.
    Parker Hall, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025
  • The witch’s magic is still MIA, but her attitude is well and truly back.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • His worry is that a robust response could be lacking since both the U.S. and a number of European countries have cut so much of their humanitarian aid.
    Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
  • For example, say an electronics company that recently released its latest smartphone model noticed sales were struggling in a region that was historically a robust market.
    Cassi Hallam, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • One person would hold the rod and drag ashore a thrashing, 200-pound sawfish.
    Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In doing so, the currents drag swimmers out into open waters.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Over the past few months, legislators have been pushing Assembly Bill 630, legislation that would facilitate the towing, dismantling and essentially the destruction of many RVs statewide under the guise of health and safety.
    Sean Geary, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Lifeguards initially towed the boat out of the surf line to keep it at a safe distance.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hale. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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