heal

American  

[heel] / hil /

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 British  

/ 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

---

Related Words

See cure.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of heal

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

Explanation

To heal is to recover or become healthy again. You'll need to wait until your blisters heal before you put your hiking boots back on and climb Mt. Everest. They say time can heal, or cure, a broken heart, while you can be sure that rest, an ice pack, and propping your foot up will heal your twisted ankle. The Proto-Germanic word khailaz, which means "to make whole" is the root of both heal and the closely related word health. Don't confuse heal with heel, which is the back part of your foot or the command that makes a dog stop.

Example Sentences

But in the end, these acts of maturity and vulnerability will be necessary if American democracy is to heal and be made stronger.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

While rescue workers have exhausted themselves in cold water, the odyssey has also featured heated rifts between veterinarians and self-proclaimed "whale-whisperers", fundraising scams and esoteric attempts to heal the whale through chanting.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Many patients want to know if such peptides can help them recover from musculoskeletal injuries or heal faster after surgery, says Dr. Alexander Weber, chief of sports medicine at the University of Southern California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Research led by MIT has shown that cutting these ozone-depleting substances is allowing the ozone layer to slowly heal.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

“The trees won’t talk to me. But they’ll heal me. I’ll take it.”

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

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