hew
verb (used with object)
to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.
hewing
-
present participleof hew.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Based on the 2020 novel by Janice Hadlow, “The Other Bennet Sister” begins within the “Pride and Prejudice” storyline, hewing close to the plot first published in 1813, though telling it from Mary’s perspective.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
Some vessels have exited the strait after making a brief diversion through a channel between two islands off Iran’s coast, Larak and Qeshm, and hewing close to Iran’s coast.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 17, 2026
But being a politician occasionally requires actual leadership, which means working to persuade voters of the merits of a position, rather than reflexively hewing to public opinion at any given moment.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2025
Traditional European breweries — like those run by Belgian monks hewing to centuries-old methods — retain the fruity signature of yeast in its untamed, lupine form, he said.
From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2024
Is he not as wearied, as exhausted, after a day consigned to serious and unremitting study and reflection, as the labourer who has spent it in digging, paving, hewing, and sawing?
From The Wanderer (Volume 5 of 5) or, Female Difficulties by Fanny Burney
