heft

1 of 2

noun

ˈheft 

1

a

: weight, heaviness

b

: importance, influence

2

archaic : the greater part of something : bulk

heft

2 of 2

verb

hefted; hefting; hefts

transitive verb

1

: to heave up : hoist

2

: to test the weight of by lifting

hefting the rod … to get the feel of it

—Consumer Reports

Synonyms

Noun

• avoirdupois
• heaviness
• weight

Verb

• boost
• heave
• hoist
• jack (up)
• upheave

Examples of heft in a Sentence

Noun

the heft of a good hammer

some synthetic fabrics are nice and warm, but I prefer wool because it has more heft

Verb

hefted his growing son onto his shoulders

heft your baggy gym shorts a little higher—you're showing us more than we care to see

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Only in Rose’s case does the revelation wield some dramatic heft. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025

Yet this fascinating play’s length and heft and the careful manner in which the dialogue is balanced among all the members of the cast keep it from derailing. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2025

Verb

It’s meant to prove that renewable energy can be stored by hefting heavy loads and dispatched by releasing them. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Jan. 2021

In the wind and snow, Rob hefted the trash over his shoulder and into the can [then] headed back inside. —Liz McNeil, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from heave, after such pairs as weave : weft

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

heft

1 of 2 noun

ˈheft 

: weight entry 1 sense 1a, heaviness

heft

2 of 2 verb

1

: to heave up : lift

2

: to test the weight of by lifting