heap
Americannoun
-
heaps
plural
-
a group of things placed, thrown, or lying one on another; pile.
a heap of stones.
- Synonyms:
- collection, accumulation, stack, mass
-
Informal. a great quantity or number; multitude.
a heap of people.
-
Slang. an automobile, especially a dilapidated one.
verb (used with object)
-
heaps,
present (3rd person singular)
-
heaped,
past participle, past
-
heaping
present participle
-
to gather, put, or cast in a heap; pile (often followed by up, on, together, etc.).
-
to accumulate or amass (often followed by up ortogether ).
to heap up riches.
-
to give, assign, or bestow in great quantity; load (often followed by on orupon ).
to heap blessings upon someone; to heap someone with work.
-
to load, supply, or fill abundantly.
to heap a plate with food.
verb (used without object)
-
heaps,
present (3rd person singular)
-
heaped,
past participle, past
-
heaping
present participle
idioms
noun
-
a collection of articles or mass of material gathered together in one place
-
informal a large number or quantity
-
slang to contend strenuously with an opposing sporting team
-
slang to try very hard
-
informal a place or thing that is very old, untidy, unreliable, etc
the car was a heap
adverb
verb
-
to collect or be collected into or as if into a heap or pile
to heap up wealth
-
(tr; often foll by with, on, or upon) to load or supply (with) abundantly
to heap with riches
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
heapsimple
-
heapssimple
-
have heapedperfect
-
has heapedperfect
-
am heapingprogressive
-
are heapingprogressive
-
is heapingprogressive
-
have been heapingperfect progressive
-
has been heapingperfect progressive
Past
-
heapedsimple
-
had heapedperfect
-
was heapingprogressive
-
were heapingprogressive
-
had been heapingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of heap
First recorded before 900; 1925–30 heap for def. 3; Middle English heep, Old English hēap; cognate with Dutch hoop, Old High German houf; akin to German Haufe
Explanation
A great big pile of something is a heap. Your sloppy brother might keep all of his clothes in a heap on his bedroom floor. A heap can be a literal mound of things — a heap of money in your piggy bank, or a heap of wet towels beside the pool — or it can be a figurative pile. For example, you might worry that if you're caught eating your roommate's pizza you'll be in a heap of trouble. Heap is also a verb, as when you heap compliments on your best friend. Since 1924 heap has also meant "junky old car."
Vocabulary lists containing heap
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If higher tariffs were to return, economists say it would cast a shadow on India's growth outlook, hurt market sentiment and heap pressure on an already-weak rupee.
From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026
They missed a heap of chances against Motherwell, with opposition goalkeeper Alex Paulsen making 12 saves, but O'Neill was not concerned by his side's profligacy.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
I’d be remiss not to heap praise on the sisters Mara, who bring something to the screen that I haven’t seen in quite some time.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Discovery shareholders by $7 million a day, so-called ticking fees that will heap more debt onto the highly leveraged transaction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Now the four of them lay in a heap in the pitch-dark.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Along with heaps of data on shoppers and an increasingly sophisticated digital advertising network, they have a fleet of smaller contract factories that can make pretty much anything and are eager for the business.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
The earth is dry and barren - heaps of rubbish are piling up throughout the neighbourhood.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Along the roads around Izyum burnt-out shells of petrol stations have become part of the landscape, heaps of mangled, charred metal.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Scattered along the walls of the studio were tidy heaps of scarves and mesh, rainbows of stripes, every shade of ballet pink, Uggs of every height.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
We fill supermarket cases with their flesh, all slick and gleaming on heaps of ice.
From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin
For all the derision heaped upon Sofia’s keen directorial eye and scrupulous vision, a behind-the-scenes look only makes the details all the more impressive.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
At Olympic and South Lake, where encampments line the street and a fire once spread into a church parking lot, destroying vehicles, there’s a concrete triangle that was heaped with trash.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
This was certainly reinforced by the universal condemnation heaped upon then-Rep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
On Saturday, Ukraine's foreign minister Andriy Sybiga heaped further criticism on the Russian leader.
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
Although every night I leave a bowl heaped with rice on the counter for her, every morning I find it sitting untouched.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
Price rises were "showing no signs of slowing, heaping more misery onto motorists," the group said.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
It has already led to some restrictions on commercial shipping, affecting industries from chemicals to steel-making, and heaping extra pressure on Europe's long-stagnant top economy.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
ISTANBUL—Turkish authorities rushed to contain the fallout from the implosion of a series of investment funds that held billions of dollars, heaping fresh stress on Turkey’s troubled economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
At every turn, Schoenbrun buries the movie alive, heaping layer upon layer of meta subtext onto it.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
“Like Switzerland,” she explained, heaping their plates with food.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
