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
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 Some nights the crowd heaves outside Mắm and the feeling is catch as catch can, diners hunched on low plastic stools eating off only slightly taller plastic tables, on the sidewalk and in the street, even spilling over to a nearby empty storefront. Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 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 The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off. Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heaves
Verb
  • Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines hoists the trophy after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63.
    Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • Another 103 matches – including six in Santa Clara – will be played until one of the 48 countries hoists the iconic gold trophy on July 19 in New Jersey.
    Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 7 June 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
  • Move east and the wind softens, the fog lifts earlier, the temperature rises a degree per mile.
    Michelle Williams, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Video appears to show Thomas driving a fist into Clark's neck before Thomas lifts herself from the scuffle and carries on play.
    Mason Leib, ABC News, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • On Harmony, their sophomore album, the duo gleefully throws dubstep, nu-metal, and trap in a blender with the lid off, letting their influences splatter the walls and drawing out their initials.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
  • Meyer's feature debut follows Frankie (Stewart) and Molly (Shawkat), a pair of pot-loving best friends who get mixed up in a case of mistaken identity that throws their lives into chaos.
    Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 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
  • Whether your 9-to-5 job involves a rare combination of manual record keeping and precarious wilderness travel, or your idea of outdoor recreation includes journaling your day while remaining at the ready for whatever nature hurls at you, the all-new Pen-metheus equips you for it all.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 June 2026
  • Even when the wacky Halifax weather hurls the wildest of curveballs at the SailGP fleet, somehow Tom Slingsby and the irrepressible Australians ride their magic carpet of consummate skill and a decent dose of luck to lead the standings after the first day of the Canada Sail Grand Prix.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The extreme heat has been supercharged by global warming, driven by humans burning fossil fuels, which raises the background temperature, making every heat wave more intense.
    Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
  • Before Crowley was ousted, the city’s top financial analyst pushed back on her budget-cutting narrative, saying that spending on the Fire Department actually went up during that budget year — in large part because of a package of firefighter raises.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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