heed

[heed]

verb (used with object)

1. to give careful attention to.

   He did not heed the warning.

   Synonyms: mark, consider, observe, note
   Antonyms: ignore, disregard

verb (used without object)

1. to give attention; have regard.

noun

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

   Synonyms: watchfulness, vigilance, caution, care, consideration

heed

/ 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)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of heed¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of heed¹

Old English hēdan; related to Old Saxon hōdian, Old High German huoten

Example Sentences

She urged UK nationals to heed Foreign Office travel advice and updates from the Jamaican government.

Read more on BBC

By approaching the decision well in advance — and getting unbiased advice rather than heeding the ever-growing stack of sales pitches in your mailbox — you’ll avoid mistakes.

Read more on MarketWatch

But some believe repeated warning signs about the sustainability of the event weren't heeded.

Read more on BBC

The government has not heeded his call and is pushing back against the think tank's latest report, which backs net zero by 2050.

Read more on BBC

They have long responded by calling on American traditions of liberty and justice, and their fellow citizens have often, if not always, heeded those calls.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.