heed

American  

[heed] / hid /

verb (used with object)

heeds, present (3rd person singular) heeded, past participle, past heeding present participle

1. to give careful attention to.

   He did not heed the warning.

   Synonyms:

   mark, consider, observe, note

   Antonyms:

   ignore, disregard

---

verb (used without object)

heeds, present (3rd person singular) heeded, past participle, past heeding present participle

1. to give attention; have regard.

noun

1. careful attention; notice; observation (usually with give ortake ).

   Synonyms:

   watchfulness, vigilance, caution, care, consideration

heed British  

/ hiːd /

noun

1. close and careful attention; notice (often in the phrases give, pay, or take heed )

---

verb

1. to pay close attention to (someone or something)

Usage

What does heed mean? To heed something is to listen to it, pay careful attention to it, or otherwise observe or acknowledge it in some way—and often to take action on it. To heed a warning is to listen to it and do what it says to do (or not do what it says not to do). To heed a request is honor it—to do what is requested. To heed calls for reform is to acknowledge them, and, sometimes, to actually follow through and make reforms. Heed can also be used as a noun meaning careful attention or observation. It’s most often used in the phrases take heed, give heed, and pay heed, which all mean to listen or pay attention, as in Take heed to what he says, for he is very wise. To pay no heed to someone is to disregard or ignore them. The adjective unheeded means disregarded, despite having been heard or noted. An unheeded warning is one that has been ignored. Example: I should have heeded your warnings, but instead I ignored them.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• heeder
  noun
• heedfulness
  noun
• heedful
  adjective
• unheeded
  adjective
• unheeding
  adjective
• heedfully
  adverb
• unheededly
  adverb
• unheedingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• heeding
  present
• heeded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• heed
  simple
• heeds
  simple
• have heeded
  perfect
• has heeded
  perfect
• am heeding
  progressive
• are heeding
  progressive
• is heeding
  progressive
• have been heeding
  perfect progressive
• has been heeding
  perfect progressive

Past

• heeded
  simple
• had heeded
  perfect
• was heeding
  progressive
• were heeding
  progressive
• had been heeding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will heed
  simple
• will have heeded
  perfect
• will be heeding
  progressive
• will have been heeding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of heed

First recorded before 900; Middle English heden, Old English hēdan; cognate with German hüten “to guard, protect”; akin to hood ¹

Explanation

Heed is an old word, meaning "to listen to and follow." It can also be used as a noun: "Take heed of my instructions," said the wizard, "for the magic potion will work only by the light of the full moon." The most common use of heed is with warnings, as in "You'd better heed my advice, or you'll be in serious trouble!" The word derives from Old English hēdan and is related to the Dutch hoeden and German hüten — from Germanic cultures where fairy tales with mysterious warnings and magical consequences abound.

Example Sentences

Paying heed to text and history requires an inclusive constitutionalism that centers their views.

From Slate • Jul. 8, 2026

It was a warning Wales did not heed and Fiji's second attack resulted in the opening try.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

Arte, please, listen to your customers, heed your record, recognize the inherent sadness of a 79-year-old man being chased out of his own home.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

When the other animals don’t heed her warnings, the mouse takes it upon herself to save her home, one grain of sand at a time.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Only the beaver went about their business and paid him no heed.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford

Related Words

• hear
• listen
• obey
• observe
• take to heart