1
as in to mow
to bring down by cutting laboriously hewed trees to build their rude log cabins

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2
as in to adhere
to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion decided to hew to the original plan rather than change everything

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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 hew The color palette hewed towards various shades of browns giving the clothes a touch of a retro feel. Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 And former President Joe Biden hewed toward Ireland because of his own heritage. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025 In adapting King’s 1979 novel, screenwriter JT Mollner hews closely to the source material, but releasing the film now inevitably gives it new shades of timeliness. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025 In crafting Christy, the biopic of boxer Christy Salters Martin that just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, director David Michôd and his co-writer Mirrah Foulkes wanted to hew as close to the real-life story as possible. Esther Zuckerman, Time, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hew
Verb
  • Someone who wasn’t at the birthday party mowed a lawn.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Let’s take a closer look at the best mowing height and timing to prepare your lawn for the cold ahead.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But the kitchen, overseen by Curtola along with the chef de cuisine Ben Zook, seems more interested in conjuring an authenticity of atmosphere than in adhering strictly to traditional recipes or preparations.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
  • But the vote by the CDC’s advisory committee carries additional implications for vaccine access since some states adhere closely to its recommendations.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Actors like Eric Bogosian and Jason Schwartzman waltz in and schmooze it up as vampires living their best afterlives, completely overshadowing Denton, who’s stuck in noob-human mode and doesn’t progress much past that.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Take two mint crowns, lightly bruise them with your fingers, and stick them against the inside close to the straw.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • With leaves still clinging to the trees, Arne Slot had overseen four straight defeats, prompting searching questions to be asked of the head coach, the club’s summer transfer strategy, senior players and everything in between.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • In the spring of 2024, another photo, the last, showed him in pretty much the same outfit somewhere on the streets of Santa Fe, clinging to Betsy’s arm.
    Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hew.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hew. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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