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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of heel
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
Goldman Sachs – The stock moved around 5% higher on the heels of the bank’s latest quarterly results exceeding expectations.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Taylore Glynn, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024
Yet Ukraine and the West have not brought Russia to heel, and the West’s backing of Ukraine has clearly plateaued since the war’s start.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heel 
Noun
On the heels of his new country album, Look Up, Ringo Starr will make his Grand Ole Opry debut next month.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
Goldman Sachs – The stock moved around 5% higher on the heels of the bank’s latest quarterly results exceeding expectations.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
While the winter months tend to cause similar damage—flaky skin, brittle strands, itchy scalps, and the like—a drought can require more extensive treatment to bring such troubles to heel.
—Taylore Glynn, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024
Yet Ukraine and the West have not brought Russia to heel, and the West’s backing of Ukraine has clearly plateaued since the war’s start.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heel
Verb
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Planes first need to fly low over a busy traffic circle atop a hill with roads that slope down toward both sides of the runway.Johanna Read, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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If trekking around the property’s sloping terrain isn't enough of a workout, the state-of-the-art fitness center is open 24 hours a day and has a weekly schedule of classes ranging from aerial yoga to bootcamp.Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Symptoms include: Hallucinations or delusions Increased heart rate Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea Dizziness Muscle jerks Sweating or flushing Seizures Effexor is not approved for children but is sometimes used off-label for anxiety and depression disorders.Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 17 Jan. 2025
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Among the new food items on sale during the Seven Seas Food Festival will be Jamaican jerk chicken and pork pincho at the Caribbean Market; garlic toast chicken parmigiana (Italian Market), strawberry pouffe (Irish Market) and veggie samosas (Indian market).Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The governor’s race in Florida, once a battleground state that has been tilting toward Republicans, is one of the most prominent contests on the election calendar in 2026.Neil Vigdor, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
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During January, the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, leading to colder temperatures and shorter days.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Responding officers found the dog, and advised the owner to take the dog in.cleveland, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2023
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Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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Fast flying, the digger bee sometimes angles its long tongue down a flower without letting its feet touch the petals.New York Times Games, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
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Darnold angled a third-and-9 throw to tight end T.J. Hockenson on Minnesota’s first drive.Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Both movies feature a killer clown, but while Joaquin Phoenix’s grinning menace suffers from delusions of grandeur and an unspecified mental illness, the hideous ghoul from hell in Terrifier known as Art hacks away at his victims with no discernible motivation beyond the grisly acts themselves.Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
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The story features Mauro, a clown who dreams of a carnival where a parade of revelers are celebrating his life.Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Danger: Venomous snakes bite millions of people each year.New York Times, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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Giving 11 venomous snakes a chance to escape inside your office sounds risky, but one of the nation’s top rattlesnake experts did just that to prove a point.Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Any time an agricultural producer or horse owner or home gardener has a persistent issue with dangerous or destructive animals — skunks denning under a shed, raccoons raiding a chicken coop, bears gorging in a vineyard — Chandler can assist, either with advice or, if necessary, direct intervention.Malcolm Brooks Malcolm Hillgartner Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
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That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heel. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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