HEAVE Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'heave' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of heave are boost , elevate , hoist , lift , raise , and rear . While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain. // heaved the heavy crate inside

Q: When might 'boost' be a better fit than 'heave'?

The synonyms boost and heave are sometimes interchangeable, but boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push. // boosted his brother over the fence

Q: How does the word 'elevate' relate to other synonyms for 'heave'?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied. // elevated the taste of the public

Q: When is 'hoist' a more appropriate choice than 'heave'?

The meanings of hoist and heave largely overlap; however, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means. // hoisted the cargo on board

Q: Where would 'lift' be a reasonable alternative to 'heave'?

The words lift and heave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight. // lift the chair while I vacuum

Q: When can 'raise' be used instead of 'heave'?

The words raise and heave can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position. // scouts raising a flagpole

Q: How do 'rear' and 'raise' relate to one another, in the sense of 'heave'?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise . // suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

heave 1 of 2

verb

ˈhēv

Definition of heave

as in to hoist

to lift with effort I heaved my duffel bag into the bus's overhead compartment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to vomit

to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth heaved as soon as he stepped off the roller coaster

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to lift

to move from a lower to a higher place or position heaved the bucket from the bottom of the well

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to throw

to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm heaved the brick over the fence

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to gasp

to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty by the time he reached the top step of the tower, he was heaving

Synonyms & Similar Words

heave

2 of 2

noun

as in thrust

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb heave contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of heave are boost, elevate, hoist, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When might boost be a better fit than heave?

The synonyms boost and heave are sometimes interchangeable, but boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for heave?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When is hoist a more appropriate choice than heave?

The meanings of hoist and heave largely overlap; however, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

Where would lift be a reasonable alternative to heave?

The words lift and heave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

When can raise be used instead of heave?

The words raise and heave can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How do rear and raise relate to one another, in the sense of heave?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

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 heave

Verb

In Aleppo, in the suburbs of Damascus, across Syria, people and neighborhoods heaved under the trauma of the last 14 years. — Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 Eddie Williams was taking a merciless pounding against her planking as the sodden wreck heaved and rolled. — James D. Oxley, Outdoor Life, 5 Aug. 2026

Noun

The Fever had one more chance, though, after Paige Bueckers missed two free throws, but the play was designed for Kelsey Mitchell, who narrowly missed a long heave that would have sent the game to overtime. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026 Next to it is a giant Goliath crane, which can lift up to 30,000 tons in a single heave; a gleaming white Royal Caribbean cruise ship sits just a few docks away. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heave

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heave

Verb

The wreckage of the Piper 30A was hoisted from the water on Sunday morning.

— Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Cameramen raced around hectically setting up lights and checking shots as choreographers ran through fight sequences and a prop team worked out how to hoist a net that would later restrain a hostage.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoist

Verb

The people who genuinely benefit are those vomiting or experiencing diarrhoea badly enough to be dehydrated.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
On the night of the reprieve, Owen, cut loose for the evening by his girlfriend, who wants to canoodle with a neighbor, vomits in the vicinity of Allie’s high heels, in what might be called a meet-boot.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of vomit

Verb

In true Richards’ fashion, of course, Kyle transfers her distress into throwing yet another one of her overwrought white parties, whose guest list is filled with a caravan of beloved names in the Bravo-verse.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Herkov experienced Florida’s first national championship with Wuerffel throwing touchdowns and Spurrier dialing up plays.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of throw

Verb

Loud, frequent snoring paired with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing may point to obstructive sleep apnea.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Some of the more than 100 in attendance in the council chambers gasped or laughed when the town revealed that the fines have only amounted to $1,600 so far.

— Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of gasp

Noun

Because this upper stage had to use more thrust to get the lander into an orbit that could reach the moon, it instead got stuck in a sort of orbital limbo, SpaceX previously said.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
First, the team 3D printed a series of cavities in different shapes, sizes, and materials to see which ones generated the greatest thrust, or push forward.

— Sara Hashemi, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of thrust

Verb

The person hurled the toy during the third quarter of the Dream’s 124-88 win, recalling a trend that began last season when objects were thrown onto the court at various games.

— Zach Powell, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Video shows the moments when the man, who appears to be a United States Postal Service employee, hurled an object at a rare albino peacock and then hit it with a stick last week.

— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of hurl

Verb

This comes after shares of Target spiked last Wednesday after the retailer reported second-quarter top- and bottom-line gains and raised its outlook for the year.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
If passed, the USPS will raise rates by an average of 6% for retail and commercial USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Parcel Select shipments, according to the USPS press release.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of raise

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heat wave

heave

heaved

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“Heave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heave. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of heave

verb

noun

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