heal

[heel]

verb (used with object)

1. to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.

   Antonyms: irritate

2. to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile.

   They tried to heal the rift between them but were unsuccessful.

   Synonyms: soothe, compose
   Antonyms: irritate

3. to free from evil; cleanse; purify.

   to heal the soul.

   Synonyms: disinfect, purge
   Antonyms: infect, soil

verb (used without object)

1. to effect a cure.

2. (of a wound, broken bone, etc.) to become whole or sound; mend; get well (often followed by up orover ).

noun

1. (in a video game) a category of spell that restores the health of a player character.

   I thought the party was gonna wipe, but a clutch heal saved our Monk and he finished off the boss alone.

heal

/ hiːl /

verb

1. to restore or be restored to health

2. (intr; often foll by over or up) (of a wound, burn, etc) to repair by natural processes, as by scar formation

3. (tr)

   1. to treat (a wound, etc) by assisting in its natural repair

   2. to cure (a disease or disorder)

4. to restore or be restored to friendly relations, harmony, etc

Other Word Forms

• healing noun
• healable adjective
• healer noun
• half-healed adjective
• preheal verb (used with object)
• unhealable adjective
• unhealed adjective
• well-healed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heal¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English helen, Old English hǣlan (cognate with Dutch helen, German heilen, Old Norse heila, Gothic hailjan ), derivative of hāl hale ¹, whole

Word History and Origins

Origin of heal¹

Old English hælan; related to Old Norse heila, Gothic hailjan, Old High German heilen; see _hale ¹ , _whole

Synonym Study

See cure.

Example Sentences

“We will forever be changed by this, we know that time will heal, but the scars will remain,” Shapiro said.

Read more on BBC

"I, honest to God, think psychedelics can heal the world. I don't have any faith in the medical world," she says.

Read more on BBC

“My own experience, when my grandfather came back, was that my soul could rest and I could finally start to heal,” Lifshitz said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"They're our brothers and sisters. We want to heal again. We want to stop the war, stop the pain and heal again," Shulamit said.

Read more on BBC

People on both sides are eager to see an end to the fighting so wounds can start to heal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alleviate 
• fix 
• improve 
• mend 
• rebuild 
• reconcile 
• regenerate 
• rehabilitate 
• rejuvenate 
• repair 
• restore 
• revive 
• settle 
• soothe 
• treat