hoist 1 of 2

hoist

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb hoist contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hoist are boost, elevate, heave, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When is it sensible to use boost instead of hoist?

The words boost and hoist are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for hoist?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When could heave be used to replace hoist?

In some situations, the words heave and hoist are roughly equivalent. However, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When is lift a more appropriate choice than hoist?

The synonyms lift and hoist are sometimes interchangeable, but lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

Where would raise be a reasonable alternative to hoist?

The meanings of raise and hoist largely overlap; however, raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How are the words rear and raise related as synonyms of hoist?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

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 hoist
Verb
Liam Neeson first hoisted his New York City apartment on the market early last year with a nearly $12.8 million price tag, but it still hasn’t been taken. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2025 Sure, there are soft themes of female empowerment and a healthy commentary on the artificial timeline hoisted upon women. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
Using a hoist, the pair were brought up to the ranger, who led them back to safety, deputies said. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 21 Jan. 2025 As seen in video footage, a Coast Guard helicopter flight crew was later brought in and deployed a rescue swimmer, who then placed the woman in a hypothermic bag and set up a hoist. David Chiu, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for hoist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoist
Verb
  • The League Cup represented the opportunity to heave the biggest monkey in English soccer off the back of an endlessly sleeping giant.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • But as players had to heave sandbags, move through an obstacle course, toss balls and complete a puzzle, the Vula tribe (with no original Vula members on it) were once again the last team to finish.
    Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Think about it this way, a rising tide lifts all boats.
    Glenn Llopis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Richards says watching Newcastle United lift the Carabao Cup before the international break — ending their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy — only fuelled his desire to help Palace to the first major trophy in their history.
    Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The beer garden and front patio are both excellent places to soak up the sunny weather and sip a cold one. 3keysbrewing.com; 2505 Manatee Ave.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Once inside the dining hall, Middleton paid for the soldiers’ drinks and was even spotted sipping a half-pint of Guinness — the unit’s go-to drink — herself, People reported.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Questions have been raised for years regarding the level of care at the institution.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2025
  • By comparison, Fine raised less than $1 million between November 26, 2024, and March 3.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Tonya drinks too much and is blacked out most of the time.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Currently, more than 200 million Americans, or about 75% of the population, drink fluoridated water.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There were questions about the planes' takeoff and landing times, and the number of people deported under Trump's proclamation.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Calculations after the crash showed that the cargo gross takeoff weight at departure was 9,865 pounds — about 1,058 pounds heavier than the maximum for forecast icing conditions, the NTSB said in a preliminary report.
    Phil Helsel, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Slurp your bev up like a straw or tip the bottle back to gulp it down.
    Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2025
  • That would have been like the Celtics willingly trading, gulp, Paul Pierce to the Heat at one point.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The key indexes fell through a trap door right from the latest all-time high set on Feb. 19, at least until the final minutes of Friday’s session, when a huge cluster of buy orders set for the month-end close met a shaken and mildly oversold tape to drive a quick 1.5% levitation in the S & P 500.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Seven months later, playing for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Carter capped his year of levitation by jumping over France’s 7-2 center, Frederic Weis, en route to a violent, yet somehow, also, elegant, slam in a preliminary round game.
    Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoist. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hoist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!