HEELING Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

heeling

verb

present participle of heel

as in tilting

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

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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 heeling In order to keep the lightweight watercraft from heeling over completely, crew members frantically scurry back and forth onto planks that are suspended out above the water on each side, rising and falling like seasick seesaws. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heeling

Verb

Some Cardinals players were spotted in their dugout ahead of the game sporting crooked caps, and one player incorporated a slight hat-tilting motion into his post-hit celebration.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
After liftoff, the V-2 started tilting midair and only made it to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) before falling back to Earth.

— Tariq Malik, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of tilting

Verb

In 1947, French fashion designer Christian Dior debuted a curvy, hourglass style that emphasized a full bust, cinched waist, and sloping hips.

— April White, JSTOR Daily, 2 Sep. 2026
Though pictured largely unfurnished, the area looks well-proportioned, with room for a sofa and a coffee table, plus an entertainment center, even if those trademark sloping walls might make installing some furniture a little awkward.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of sloping

Verb

Boley is throwing to a trio of star receivers in Omarion Miller, Reed Harris and Grayson Rigdon instead of leaning so heavily on single talents like Cam Skattebo in 2024 and Jordyn Tyson last season.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Kirk toured college campuses and got in political arguments with left-leaning students, and Kozak, a student at UVU, wanted to debate Kirk’s past statements about transgender mass shooters.

— Elle Reeve, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of leaning

Verb

On steep slopes, this mechanism also lets the ball control its downhill speed by simply angling the pendulum uphill.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
After a massive settlement with Meta, California’s attorney general is angling for broader changes to the social media industry.

— Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of angling

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heeled

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“Heeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heeling. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of heeling

verb

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