1
as in hoists
to lift with effort
I heaved my duffel bag into the bus's overhead compartment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vomits
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth
heaved as soon as he stepped off the roller coaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lifts
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
heaved the bucket from the bottom of the well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in throws
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm
heaved the brick over the fence
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in gasps
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
by the time he reached the top step of the tower, he was heaving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heaves
Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
If the plane heaves up, the spoilers can press it back down.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Cover Exposed Roots Sometimes heavy ice and snow heaves newer plants out of the ground.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Aquilla Sadalla’s wordless vocals, a gorgeous swell of howls and heaves, complement the arrangement without becoming the focal point.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Several mega-talented Georgia defensive backs appeared to short-circuit and forget how to track a ball in the air on Tennessee heaves.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Seconds later, Arano pauses, and with a final groan heaves the brush back into the bucket.
—Danielle Demetriou, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
Verb
When a degraded grassland returns to health, the ground heaves up, as if inhaling with relief.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
If the plane heaves up, the spoilers can press it back down.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Cover Exposed Roots Sometimes heavy ice and snow heaves newer plants out of the ground.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Aquilla Sadalla’s wordless vocals, a gorgeous swell of howls and heaves, complement the arrangement without becoming the focal point.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
The quarterback mishandles the snap and heaves the ball, which is picked off.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
Several mega-talented Georgia defensive backs appeared to short-circuit and forget how to track a ball in the air on Tennessee heaves.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Seconds later, Arano pauses, and with a final groan heaves the brush back into the bucket.
—Danielle Demetriou, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heaves
Verb
-
Dallas Lincoln head coach Ashley Greer hoists the state championship trophy after his team defeated Fredericksburg, 77-49.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Flagg hoists jumpers with his right hand but often appears most comfortable driving and finishing around the rim with his left.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the sweet video, Steinfeld lifts her black sweatshirt to reveal her baby bump, which her husband then kisses and cradles; the two frolic in the snow looking so in love.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
-
About halfway through the video, Simpson wins the fight, lifts up his opponent and collects his money.—
Daniela Avila,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This throws fuel on the already burning flames of modern India’s de facto patriotic sentiments, wherein the country’s Hindu majority (via an ethnonationalist movement known as Hindutva) is given free rein, not unlike Hamza, to lynch minorities.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
No matter how much cash a candidate throws at a campaign, Georgia history is full of rich people, from Michael Coles to Guy Millner and Kelly Loeffler, who ran for high office but still fell flat.—
Patricia Murphy,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Upon announcing her status as a Faithful, the whole room gasps.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His sister administered back thrusts and, eventually, an abdominal thrust formerly called the Heimlich maneuver.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
19 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
-
When a player fully lets go of their racket and hurls it to the floor, the frame can bounce up and go just about anywhere.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When working, pick tools that feel good to use, and pay attention to how your schedule raises or lowers stress.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Warm water raises skin temperature, and the core temperature drop after stepping out signals the brain to release melatonin.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heaves. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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