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 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
  • Lifestyle habit such as exercise and a healthy diet can help keep inflammation in check.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Loneliness is the healthy emotion that nudges us to get off the couch and go be with people.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Jayden Daniels’ Washington Commanders haul up to Lambeau Field, a premier destination for leaping into the arms of strangers.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The plan has long been to haul about 30 of these tubes back to Earth, where they would be studied in far greater detail than Perseverance can achieve with its limited instrument suite — a point Stack Morgan brought up on Wednesday.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Beneath the surface, though, all is not well.
    Ian King, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The ads for it were…well, pure 1970s.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • What lingers are the fragments that weren’t rehearsed, a voice breaking, a note pulled from the back of a notebook, a chant that filled the room, a line spoken more to a spouse than to the cameras.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Bolt-action rifles, prized for reliability, require the operator to pull the trigger for one round before manually chambering another round.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Overall, there is a robust market with rising demand for dishwashers worldwide.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In data science, it is applied to develop and implement robust error-correcting codes for data storage and transmission.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This is not about dragging NATO into war.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • After being struck from behind, he was dragged to the ground and mauled him, with other lions joined in, per Khaosod English.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The committee, which is chaired by DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera, includes three towing company owners, two consumer advocates and other DMV officials.
    Dave Altimari, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Keep a distance from high profile vehicles such as trucks, buses and vehicles towing trailers.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hale. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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