1
: any of various implements for tilling, mixing, or raking
especially
: a tool with a thin flat blade on a long handle used especially for cultivating, weeding, or loosening the earth around plants
2
: backhoe
hoed; hoeing
: to work with a tool with a thin flat blade on a long handle to cultivate, weed, or loosen the earth around plants : to use or work with a hoe (see hoe entry 1) or backhoe
hoeing in the garden all day
1
: to weed, cultivate, or thin (a crop) with a hoe (see hoe entry 1)
hoeing carrots and turnips
2
: to remove (weeds) by hoeing
3
: to dress or cultivate (land) by hoeing
The garden needs to be hoed.
Examples of hoe in a Sentence
Verb
The garden has to be hoed.
She was hoeing in the garden all day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
The divers harvest abalone, sea urchins and more by venturing into dark waters without the aid of oxygen tanks or professional diving equipment, instead using instruments like nets and hoes.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024
Chris Walton, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Johnnie was the gardener who planted, hoed, and harvested.
—Ronni Lundy, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hoe 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Noun
Trying to pin down the human mental capacity of being creative or imaginative, and tie that to the human capacity of madness or hallucinating is a tough road to hoe.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
The divers harvest abalone, sea urchins and more by venturing into dark waters without the aid of oxygen tanks or professional diving equipment, instead using instruments like nets and hoes.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
Amazon’s focus on augmenting Buy with Prime with additional services like Buy with Prime Assist is a clear indication that there are still plenty of rows to be hoed in this arena.
—Chris Walton, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Johnnie was the gardener who planted, hoed, and harvested.
—Ronni Lundy, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hoe
Dictionary Entries Near hoe
Cite this Entry
“Hoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoe. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hoe
1 of 2 noun
: a farm or garden tool with a thin flat blade at nearly a right angle to a long handle that is used especially for weeding and loosening the earth
hoe
2 of 2 verb
hoed; hoeing
: to use or work with a hoe
Biographical Definition
Hoe
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Robert 1784–1833 American (English-born) printing-press manufacturer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share