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
  • In extremely dense fog, drivers are advised to turn on their hazard lights, pull over into a safe place, and if that’s on the side of the road or hard shoulder—turn off all lights except the hazards, engage the hand brake, and wait until the fog lifts.
    Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Snap beats revenue expectations and lifts guidance.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Mahle throws to the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Arlington, Texas.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
  • In response, an employee throws what appeared to be a burger box at a man in a white T-shirt who appears to be accompanying the woman.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The clashes drew bursts of laughter and, sometimes, gasps, from the show's studio audience and from home viewers.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Dec. 2025
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
  • That extraordinary footage, along with video shot by bystanders and a 3D model created by CNN of the confrontation, shows Good and her wife challenging ICE officers – but also raises new questions about Ross’s tactics and decision to use deadly force.
    Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • In a statement, Stanford student and Drop the Charges organizer Mark Allen Cu said the case raises broader questions about free speech and dissent on campus.
    Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

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