hale 1 of 2

Definition of halenext

hale

2 of 2

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

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 What this signal reveals is a home range that hardly budged in Fred’s early adolescence, while the hale and hearty growth rates of childhood dramatically fell off. Peter Brannen, The Atlantic, 22 June 2022
Verb
Then an employer who attempts union-busting could be haled into court and face an injunction against demoting or firing union organizers, followed by a trial and possibly heavy damages. Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, 28 June 2018 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 See All Example Sentences for hale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hale
Adjective
  • Eating at consistent times earlier in the day can support the clock and healthy blood sugar levels.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Learn how to build healthy financial habits today to set your children up for greater success in the future.
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • On the non-passenger side, freight carriers hauled 6% less cargo in January compared with the same month in 2025, though international cargo rose 2%.
    Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Singh was stopped for inspection at a weigh station while hauling a load of frozen chicken along Interstate 80.
    Simon Hankinson, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The prescriptions program is expected to serve about 6,500 children and families in northwest Milwaukee at nearly 13,000 annual well-child visits.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Last week, Spurs beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home and all was well with the world.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This delicate top looks like it was pulled straight from Reformation or Doen’s website.
    Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • In November last year, Rheinmetall predicted its sales would quintuple over the next five years, boosted by robust demand for its weapons systems amid geopolitical tensions and the war in Ukraine.
    Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Elsewhere in Southern California, desert parks are seeing robust but smaller-scale blooms.
    Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Miller made efforts to clean up the scene before dragging the 86-year-old’s body to a cellar under the shed, where she was later found, the indictment read.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Each team has to drag three giant snakes through a bunch of obstacles and then get a ball through a snake maze to win immunity.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • From towing a camper or trailer up to 12,000 pounds, moving the kids out of a college dorm, or even taking the dogs on a hiking and biking trip, the Tundra has no problem solving your list of chores or even going to work everyday.
    Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Failing this, both warships and submarines are equipped with decoy noise makers, either towed or standalone.
    James Dwyer, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Hale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hale. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster