as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
felt like a heel when she found out that she'd blamed the wrong person
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to slope
to set or cause to be at an angle
the strong gust heeled the sailboat almost to the point of capsizing, but we managed to right it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heel
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
The star accessorized the look, meanwhile, with a giant pearl bag by Cult Gaia, as well as a pearl necklace and chic slingback heels.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
That’s because pressing down on the ground with the heel can generate backward momentum, requiring the runner to use more energy to propel themselves forward.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 27 Apr. 2026
The news comes on the heels of Epic Pictures having released the film theatrically in North America on April 24, with a VOD release set for Monday.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heel
Noun
The deal follows on the heels of two major deals in the residential brokerage industry last year.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
The star accessorized the look, meanwhile, with a giant pearl bag by Cult Gaia, as well as a pearl necklace and chic slingback heels.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
That’s because pressing down on the ground with the heel can generate backward momentum, requiring the runner to use more energy to propel themselves forward.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 27 Apr. 2026
The news comes on the heels of Epic Pictures having released the film theatrically in North America on April 24, with a VOD release set for Monday.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heel
Verb
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From South India and Sri Lanka come emphatic roasts and stews, the pageantry of lamprais (a whole meal baked in banana leaf) and lacy hoppers, fermented rice flour pancakes with sides that slope upward as if in bloom.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Surrounded by mature trees, dense greenery, and high walls, the grounds create a private, park-like idyll with sloping lawns, spacious terraces, and views toward the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park Observatory, with a swimming pool at the center of the estate.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Here, witches are real — and so are jerks.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The passengers include the requisite obnoxious jerk, Dan (Angus Sampson), already throwing his weight around and breaking no-smoking rules at LAX.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Republicans, meanwhile, hated everything that Democrats loved about Obama and often tilted into grotesque smears.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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About 1 in 6 households nationwide has a net worth above $1 million, and, because the occasional billionaire tilts the scale, the average American family has passed that seven-figure benchmark.—
Matthew Lynn,
Washington Post,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The book's main character — Cheese — was inspired by her real-life rescue dog, who was known for chasing squirrels and bringing energy into her life.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
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By targeting a gene central to the molecular dysfunction and creating a novel system to deliver functional genetic instructions, High, Bennett and Maguire were able to move their therapy from the lab to experiments in dogs and finally to clinical trials in humans.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Video of the pursuit broadcast on KTLA showed the bear running around the neighborhood as residents kept their distance and park rangers angled for a shot.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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Ride-share drivers angle for drop-offs.—
Andrew Chrismer,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Even a rival gave kudos — kind of — to the clown.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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Thor is now a circus clown — not even a funny one at that — relegated to being the butt of Star-Lord's unfunny jokes and the least-serious Avenger.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Kleinman said that snakes, including copperheads, play an important role in the ecosystem.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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Palin was the only Monty Python representative on stage, but the second python of the night after a snake featured in one of the highlight videos.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Only about 30 percent of all nests evade their many predators, including skunks, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, snakes, and even domestic dogs and cats.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
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That means don’t send your dog out to charge a skunk, and don’t go outside banging on pots and pans or yelling, which is only going to make the skunk feel threatened.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heel. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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