Synonyms of hew

hew 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈhyü 

1

as in to mow

to bring down by cutting

laboriously hewed trees to build their rude log cabins

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mow
• fell
• cut (down)
• chop (down)
• demolish
• flatten
• tear down
• raze
• bulldoze
• level

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adhere
• stick
• cling
• cleave
• glue
• bind
• unite
• fasten
• fuse
• cohere

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall
• loosen
• drop

hew (to)

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to keep (to)

to give steadfast support to

no longer was able to hew to the party line and so he switched political parties

Synonyms & Similar Words

• keep (to)
• adhere (to)
• stick (to or with)
• cling (to)
• defend
• hold to
• stand by
• live up to
• abide by
• accept
• cleave (to)
• cultivate
• follow
• support
• endorse
• adopt
• embrace
• advocate
• enforce
• confirm
• uphold
• reinforce
• back
• foster
• espouse
• indorse
• bolster
• heed
• cherish
• champion
• buttress
• boost
• reenforce
• backstop

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defect (from)
• take back
• abandon
• give up
• relinquish
• forsake
• recall
• surrender
• withdraw
• disagree (with)
• desert
• reconsider
• spurn
• revoke
• renounce
• retract
• refute
• disprove
• deny
• recant
• dispute
• abjure
• renege
• negative
• contradict
• rebut
• back down
• controvert
• negate
• repudiate
• abnegate
• back off
• disavow
• disown
• disclaim
• gainsay
• unsay
• backtrack

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hew

Verb

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

But the new addition hews closely to the original. —Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025

Phrases Containing hew

• hew (to)

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!