This ship is outfitted with a windlass to heave up the anchor.
Source: tatoeba (3476703)
Heave
/hiːv/
Synonyms for "heave" (337 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (68)
a leg upayebarfbe nauseatedbe poisedbe seasickbe sickbillowblowboardboomboostborebowlbreakbreakerbreakersbreathebring upbung
Show 42 more words
buoy upcascadecastcast atcast loosecast upcatcatapultchange of pacechange-upchoke onchopchoppinesschopping seachuckchuck atchuck upchunkclap on ratlinesclear hawsecombcombercrashcurvecut loosedartdashdirty waterdisgorgedowncurvedraftdragdraggledraughtdraughtsmandraughtydraweagreebb and flowegestelevateerect
Strong matches (101)
escalatefastballfeed the fishfeel disgustfidgetfirefire atflingfling atflipflip outflounderflutterforkforward passfreak outfreak out ongaggaspget high on
Show 67 more words
glowgo pitapatgravity wavegroanground swellhalehaulhaul downhave the fidgetshave the shakesheave apeakheave atheave roundheave shortheave the gorgeheavy seaheavy swellheftheightenheisthikehobbyhorsehoickhoisthold uphuffhumphurlhurl againsthurl athurtleincurvejerkjerk upkeckkedgeknock upknuckleballlancelaterallateral passlaunchlaylay aloftlet flylet fly atlevitateliftlift uplobloftloglopluglurchmake heavy weathermoanmoveoutcurveoverexertoverexertionoverextendoverextensionoverstrainoverstressovertaxovertaxing
Related words (168)
palpitatepantpasspeakpegpeltperk uppitchpitch and tosspitchforkplungepopplepoundpresspuffpukepullputput the shotquake
Show 132 more words
quaverquiverrackraiseraise upratline downrearrear upreelregurgitaterejectretchrifflerippleriserise and fallrockrollrollerrough waterscendscrewballseasendserveserviceset upshakeshivershootshot putshot-putshyshy atsick upsicken atsighsinkerskysliderslingsling atsmashsnakesnapspar downspewspitballspittersquirmstick upstrainstrain every nervestrainingstream the logstressstress and strainstressfulnessstretchsurfsurgeswaysweat bloodswellswell with emotionswingtake in towtaxtaxingtensetensionthrillthrill tothrobthrowthrow atthrow uptidal boretidal wavetide wavetilttingletingle with excitementtosstoss and tumbletoss and turntoss attowtrailtraintraverse a yardtrawltrembletrolltroughtsunamitugtumbleturn onturn on totwist and turntwitchtwitterundulateundulationunlashupupbuoyupcastupchuckupcurveupheaveuphoistupholdupliftupraiseuprearupthrowuttervomitwallowwarpwater wavewavewaveletwelterwhite horseswhitecapswigglewrigglewritheyaw
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: lift, raise, retch, a leg up, aye.
- Sentence evidence is available for heave, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "heave".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "heave"
Keep "heave" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "heave" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "heave", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "heave" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
28 entriesShowing 16 of 28 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
12 entrieschest heaveheave a bagheave a loadheave a sighheave the anchorheave upheave with effortheavy heavesea heavestrong heavesudden heaveviolent heave
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
38 total sentences available.
Meanwhile still stranger sights appeared by sea and land. Before the crews had time to heave their anchors, the ships of themselves made sail, and a dolphin, leaping and sporting on the waves, swam before the commander's ship as a guide; whilst on shore Chloe's goats and sheep were led along by the sweet music of the pipe, which continued sounding deliciously, though the player was still invisible.
Source: tatoeba (6213021)
East, West and squally South-west, with a roar, / swoop down on Ocean, and the surf and sand / mix in dark eddies, and the watery floor / heave from its depths, and roll huge billows to the shore. / Then come the creak of cables and the cries / of seamen.
Source: tatoeba (6779594)
Here plying levers, where the flooring shows / weak joists, we heave it over.
Source: tatoeba (6832784)
Showing 4 of 38 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "heave"?
Closest matches include lift, raise, retch, a leg up, aye.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "heave"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.