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
Relevance
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
as in dogs
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in slopes
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
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 heel
Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Choose from 22 floral patterns and solid colors that can easily be paired with casual summer sandals or heels for a night out on the town.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 16 May 2026
Instead of filling my suitcase with bulky sneakers, sky-high heels, and overly sporty athleisure, Sisto recommended chic staples like linen pants, comfortable sandals, breezy matching sets, and playful pops of color.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
These sultry heels have a subtle pink hue like the Elisabet Tang heels, as well as eye-catching hold hardware on the back.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heel
Noun
Then Hogan, 38, emerges with a sparkly nude-colored dress with matching heels.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Choose from 22 floral patterns and solid colors that can easily be paired with casual summer sandals or heels for a night out on the town.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Noun
For more of Swift’s go-to heels, see more on her shoe style evolution below.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 16 May 2026
Instead of filling my suitcase with bulky sneakers, sky-high heels, and overly sporty athleisure, Sisto recommended chic staples like linen pants, comfortable sandals, breezy matching sets, and playful pops of color.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Verb
Savoy Brown also wore Manolo Blahnik heels with a Hanut Singh ring.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
These sultry heels have a subtle pink hue like the Elisabet Tang heels, as well as eye-catching hold hardware on the back.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heel
Verb
-
Leaking faucets, pipes, and air conditioning units should be repaired, and the ground next to the foundation should be sloped so that surface water drains away from the building.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
-
The roof is sloped to encourage drainage that prevents water and debris from piling up, and is broken up into two levels to allow for an open ventilation panel to let hot air escape while keeping rainwater out.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
About 90% of dogs with Lyme disease show no symptoms, the association said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
18 May 2026
-
This, afterall, was a family who when Avedon was a child growing up in Manhattan, would sometimes borrow other people’s pet dogs to complete the happy family photo.—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Safer travel can be found on lower-angle terrain, generally slopes less than 30 degrees, particularly in areas sheltered from the wind.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
One of my favorite choices is developing a dry creek bed that slopes away from a home's foundation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
As trade policies have shifted the global trade landscape, Seroka highlighted that Vietnam’s growth as a sourcing hub has tilted the scales in pricing power, while also boosting the reliability of the Southeast Asian nation’s vendors.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
-
His head tilted like a puppy waiting for a treat.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Here, witches are real — and so are jerks.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This was just the beginning of us young anarchists becoming judgmental jerks.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The green tilts back and to the left.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 May 2026
-
The trail eventually tilts back down toward the city, where car honks and train horns replace the cries of birds and insects.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Police also said a man walking his dog was shot in the back Sunday morning.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Any attempt by a participant, or any other person, to participate using more than one dog/pet, using any method, may result in disqualification by Sponsor, in its sole discretion.—
Tim McGovern,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heel. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
