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
This ocean canyon heaves waves of shale and basalt, quartz and silt. Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026 If the plane heaves up, the spoilers can press it back down. Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 Cover Exposed Roots Sometimes heavy ice and snow heaves newer plants out of the ground. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026 Aquilla Sadalla’s wordless vocals, a gorgeous swell of howls and heaves, complement the arrangement without becoming the focal point. Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026 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 Seconds later, Arano pauses, and with a final groan heaves the brush back into the bucket. Danielle Demetriou, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heaves
Verb
  • Dallas Lincoln head coach Ashley Greer hoists the state championship trophy after his team defeated Fredericksburg, 77-49.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Flagg hoists jumpers with his right hand but often appears most comfortable driving and finishing around the rim with his left.
    Christian Clark, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.
    Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The minimalist lobby is filled with contemporary artwork from an ever-changing array of artists, which lifts the space.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Moore plays a fashion mogul whose company allegedly lifts designs from Palmer’s character while outsourcing production to factories abroad.
    Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At one point, Paul throws a metal chair at Mortensen while her daughter is in close proximity and is heard crying.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
  • At one point in the 2023 video, which was released by TMZ on March 19, Paul throws three metal bar stools at Mortensen.
    William Earl, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Upon announcing her status as a Faithful, the whole room gasps.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 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
  • When a player fully lets go of their racket and hurls it to the floor, the frame can bounce up and go just about anywhere.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Nina sort of hurls the question of authenticity back to the foreign tastemakers hot on her heels.
    Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That raises serious concerns about privacy, dignity, and the well-being of kids who just want to belong and participate like their peers.
    Austen Erblat, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • The Booker plan also raises taxes on the wealthy as a partial offset for its costs.
    Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

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