heaves 1 of 2

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 Smith experience is always going to be a roller coaster, impressive feats of accuracy and arm talent mixed with desperation heaves and maddening turnovers. Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 In another video, an emergency worker heaves a large stone aside while working to free people from the wreckage. Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 25 June 2026 Moscow’s next move, as its skyline heaves with sooty smoke, must be to find a way to accept its weakness, and accommodate it, while not projecting anything other than strength. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 June 2026 And so, in the constant tug-of-war between tradition and innovation, the latest design heaves toward history, meeting the future’s infrastructure needs in comfortingly familiar costume. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 June 2026 When a degraded grassland returns to health, the ground heaves up, as if inhaling with relief. Literary Hub, 25 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heaves
Verb
  • Peter Zumthor’s design hoists a serpentine platform atop pavilions that read like stout, truncated legs, making the edifice almost creaturely in its architectural stance.
    George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Chase for the championship begins at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina on Sunday, with the top 16 drivers embarking on a 10-race stretch that will determine who hoists the Bill France Cup at Homestead-Miami Speedway in mid-November.
    ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Moments later, Owen vomits in front of her after eating his and Malika’s meals at dinner.
    Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The result at Estadio de la Ceramica lifts Betis into second place, tied with Madrid on 12 points.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The main basket lifts out and can be easily emptied and cleaned with a hose without touching any debris.
    John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The state’s order throws into question how these contracts will now be executed.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Mensah looked as good as the numbers suggested, too, ripping NFL-level throws and distributing the ball to his myriad playmakers, namely wide receiver Malachi Toney.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • At this, the paddock gasps in unison.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
  • Another video shows Wallen walking back towards the piano, as the audience gasps and cheers in response.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 1 June 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
  • Former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins hurls a deep ball toward Jefferson in double coverage, and McCardell stops the play.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The mathematical problem concerns the Navier-Stokes equations, which govern the flow of fluids—from the whirlpool circling your bathtub’s drain to the turbulent winds El Niño hurls across the North American continent.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • An Indian institution that’s built its operations around a foreign foundation model has no real recourse if that vendor raises prices, withdraws the model, hits new export restrictions or gets caught in a geopolitical dispute over chip access.
    Sajal Singh, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Israel, like many countries, raises money by selling bonds to investors, who then receive repayments with interest after a specified time period.
    Sharon Udasin, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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