heaves 1 of 2

Definition of heavesnext
present tense third-person singular of heave
1
as in hoists
to lift with effort I heaved my duffel bag into the bus's overhead compartment

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2
as in vomits
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth heaved as soon as he stepped off the roller coaster

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3
4
5
as in gasps
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty by the time he reached the top step of the tower, he was heaving

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heaves

2 of 2

noun

plural of heave

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 heaves
Verb
The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off. Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025 Several mega-talented Georgia defensive backs appeared to short-circuit and forget how to track a ball in the air on Tennessee heaves. Jason Kirk, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heaves
Verb
  • Fort Worth Arlington Heights head coach Curtis James hoists the district title.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
  • While Minnesota’s regular season opener is slated for Wednesday in Portland, the NBA kicks off Tuesday when Oklahoma City hoists a banner ahead of its bout with Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • My cat vomits once every week or two.
    Jane Sykes, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Be aware the virus may be aerosolized when someone vomits, meaning surfaces several feet away could be contaminated, the USDA said.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • A lot of volume shampoos have left my hair feeling heavy and greasy at the root, but this one lifts without the weight.
    Olivia Dubyak, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Practical courage lifts your finances as energetic Mars squares vulnerable Chiron in your 2nd House of Accounting, guiding you to spend wisely while respecting personal values.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The archer is known to be a magical being that throws zingers, or in this case, spells, at those who frustrate their peace.
    Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Grabbing a gun, Lexy gets the upper hand, just as Anna’s detective husband, Jack (Jon Bernthal), arrives and throws Anna out of the way.
    Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Upon announcing her status as a Faithful, the whole room gasps.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The rest of the gang rushes inside to be at Eleven’s side and save the children who are trapped inside on the Pain Tree, while Vecna burbles and gasps for air.
    Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • His sister administered back thrusts and, eventually, an abdominal thrust formerly called the Heimlich maneuver.
    Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Cannon hurls a last plate against the wall.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
  • Her son then gets to realize his dream of not going to college and becoming a firefighter after Kate, who has been on him for the duration of the film to write his college essay, begins reading his college essay and hurls it into the fire.
    Rachel Handler, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Emitting even a billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere today raises the risk of extinction, even if ever so slightly, and the rate at which our activities are causing species to become extinct adds to that risk.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Shares in those and other Japanese corporations are on a tear as Japan’s central bank raises rates to combat inflation after years of deflation.
    John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

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