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

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

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

He ended with another appeal for people to respect his family's privacy as they "continue to grieve and heal", and with some perhaps undeserved well wishes for the assembled media pack.

From BBC

A year later, she told AFP news agency: "This wound never heals... But to say I'm stopping? No, I'll never stop."

From BBC

People told the truth about behaviors I’d always tried to hide, and being able to talk about these behaviors released so much of my shame and gave me a safe community in which to heal.

From Los Angeles Times

Think about ancient warriors coming back from battle — they danced, screamed, healed together.

From Los Angeles Times

"When the kids would fall ill he'd say that God would heal them. He really believed those teachings."

From BBC

Related Words

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