heist

1 of 2

verb

ˈhīst How to pronounce heist (audio)
heisted; heisting; heists
Synonyms of heist

transitive verb

1
chiefly dialectal : hoist
2
a
: to commit armed robbery on
b
: steal sense 1a

heist

2 of 2

noun

: armed robbery : holdup
also : theft

Synonyms of heist

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of heist in a Sentence

Verb a professional burglar was able to heist a box of jewelry from the safe in the closet Noun it was the largest jewelry heist in the city's history
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
An unusual criminal ring focused entirely on heisting semi-trucks, trailers and dump trucks has been busted in Florida, resulting in $6 million worth of heavy equipment being found, according to investigators. — Mark Price, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025 And Bannon got directly to business, spinning a tale to his viewers of Democrats plotting to heist the 2024 election. — Tess Owen, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
After at least 20 heists in Florida, a trio suspected of stealing family heirlooms and other valuables from cemeteries is now in custody. — Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 Based on ​​Marissa Stapley’s 2021 novel, Lucky follows a young con artist in the aftermath of a heist gone wrong. — Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heist

Word History

Etymology

Verb

variant of hoist entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heist was circa 1778

Rhymes for heist

See All Rhymes for heist

Browse Nearby Words

heishi
heist
heister
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heist. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

heist

noun
ˈhīst
: armed robbery
also : theft
Etymology

Noun

from a dialect variant of hoist "an act of hoisting"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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