heel 1 of 2

noun

ˈhēl How to pronounce heel (audio)
Definition of heelnext
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others felt like a heel when she found out that she'd blamed the wrong person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

heel

2 of 2

verb

as in to slope
to set or cause to be at an angle the strong gust heeled the sailboat almost to the point of capsizing, but we managed to right it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 heel
Noun
In fact, many of the flats that follow bring all the polish of your favorite heels—without leaving you wishing you’d worn them instead. — Kate Boswell, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2026 The launch at the Grammy Museum exhibit is set to follow right on the heels of this Saturday’s Daisy Chain Fields festival, a one-day gathering being held in Irvine and featuring an all-female lineup headlined by Rodrigo herself. — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 Younger artists were nipping at her heels, and her record company dumped her. — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 These sneakerinas have a squoval toe box as well as a firm yet flexible design, including crush-resistant heel counters to protect your Achilles. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heel
  1. jerk
  2. slope
  3. dog
  4. tilt
  5. clown
  6. angle
  7. snake
  8. skunk
Noun
  • The latter accidentally does happen, which leads to power struggles between the bigoted jerk and our trio of heroines.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Duffy, for his part, came across as a real jerk at times, but surprisingly charming at others, with a half-nerd, half-jock mien—sweepy hair, big glasses, a megawatt smile—that put me in mind of a Wisconsin Sam Seaborn.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • The resulting low-slung structure is clad in understated materials, with a sloping bronze-colored roof, stone chimney, expansive glazing, and teak siding.
    — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Weekly Pattern Turning to the weekly chart, RRC has been trading in an upward-sloping channel going back to late 2022.
    — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of slope
Noun
  • The local community has also rallied to help the family by delivering meals, caring for their kids and walking their dog.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Four months later, he was seen last weekend walking dogs, taking walks, enjoying a cup of coffee in a garage, and even stopping to sift through neighborhood trash items on the side of the street.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • In horizontal-review mode, the Court has struck down laws limiting slavery and child labor, establishing income taxes and minimum wages, and restricting corporations from tilting elections or firing workers for union activity.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The screen can tilt 20 degrees up or down, swivel right and left 15 degrees, and even rotate 90 degrees into portrait mode.
    — Joe Salas August 28, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of tilt
Noun
  • But my favorite Tim Curry performance will always be Pennywise, the clown in Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which, compared to Andy Muschietti’s mega popular pair of films, is modest, even a little lame.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Verb
  • The team raised the vehicle’s rear hatch and angled it toward the sun throughout the day.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Adapting to the 20,000-seat Garden, Styles’s stage is a more streamlined semi-circle that still angles for maximum access, plus a little pop.
    — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of angle
Noun
  • Long lines snake toward bars selling the tournament’s speciality cocktail, and a David Chang stall cooks elevated chicken tenders.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than killing the snakes found on its property, Cat Haven relocates them to areas farther from the cats, according to Anderson.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of snake
Noun
  • It's usually transmitted through a bite from a bat, coyote, fox, raccoon or skunk.
    — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Not a forest by any means, but a small woods where there are squirrels and chipmunks, probably snakes and skunks, rabbits and, now and then, passing through on some mysterious transient route, a deer or a family of deer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of skunk

Phrases Containing heel

Browse Nearby Words

hee-haws
heel
heeled
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Cite this Entry

“Heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heel. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on heel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heel

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