hewed; hewed or hewn
ˈhyün 
; hewing
; hewing
1
: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
roughly hewn logs
2
: to cut down by blows of an ax
hew a tree
3
: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows
hewed their farms from the wilderness—
J. T. Shotwell
J. T. Shotwell1
: to make cutting blows (as with an ax)
hewer
noun
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Synonyms
Examples of hew in a Sentence
Verb
They hewed logs to build a cabin.
The walls are built of stones hewn by skilled craftsmen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bill Kopp, SPIN, 25 Nov. 2024
There was a chance that a Kamala Harris administration would have hewed closer to the rule of international law and institutions, strengthening a weakening system and preventing its wholesale demise.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 15 Nov. 2024
The 12 cedar artifacts, many of which stand alongside the city’s cruise port, were hewn by Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian artisans.
—Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2024
In their place are figures such as JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, and Josh Hawley, the Republican senator from Missouri, who hew more closely to Trump’s brand of populist politics.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hew 
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Verb
The music hews fairly closely to the Avett Brothers’ original arrangements, with lyrical and instrumental adjustments made to accommodate the vocal-forward nature of a stage production.
—Bill Kopp, SPIN, 25 Nov. 2024
There was a chance that a Kamala Harris administration would have hewed closer to the rule of international law and institutions, strengthening a weakening system and preventing its wholesale demise.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 15 Nov. 2024
The 12 cedar artifacts, many of which stand alongside the city’s cruise port, were hewn by Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian artisans.
—Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2024
In their place are figures such as JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, and Josh Hawley, the Republican senator from Missouri, who hew more closely to Trump’s brand of populist politics.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hew
Dictionary Entries Near hew
Cite this Entry
“Hew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hew. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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