hale 1 of 2

Definition of halenext

hale

2 of 2

verb

as in to haul
to cause to follow by applying steady force on the fishermen haled the huge net onto the deck of the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hale distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of hale are healthy, robust, sound, well, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

When can healthy be used instead of hale?

Although the words healthy and hale have much in common, healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

In what contexts can robust take the place of hale?

The words robust and hale can be used in similar contexts, but robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When is sound a more appropriate choice than hale?

While the synonyms sound and hale are close in meaning, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When is it sensible to use well instead of hale?

While in some cases nearly identical to hale, well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

When could wholesome be used to replace hale?

In some situations, the words wholesome and hale are roughly equivalent. However, wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

How is the word hale distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of hale are healthy, robust, sound, well, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

When can healthy be used instead of hale?

Although the words healthy and hale have much in common, healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

In what contexts can robust take the place of hale?

The words robust and hale can be used in similar contexts, but robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When is sound a more appropriate choice than hale?

While the synonyms sound and hale are close in meaning, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When is it sensible to use well instead of hale?

While in some cases nearly identical to hale, well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

When could wholesome be used to replace hale?

In some situations, the words wholesome and hale are roughly equivalent. However, wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hale
Adjective
The Chamber of Commerce dream demographic for new Angelenos was hale, white, middle- and yeoman-class Americans. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 What this signal reveals is a home range that hardly budged in Fred’s early adolescence, while the hale and hearty growth rates of childhood dramatically fell off. Peter Brannen, The Atlantic, 22 June 2022
Verb
Even though no one is being haled into court, parents still need to behave civilly. Paul Sullivan, New York Times, 8 May 2020 Then an employer who attempts union-busting could be haled into court and face an injunction against demoting or firing union organizers, followed by a trial and possibly heavy damages. Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, 28 June 2018 See All Example Sentences for hale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hale
Adjective
  • Collins, Higgins and a healthy Tank Dell could be a lot of fun together.
    Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Planting a tree is an investment in a future with more beauty and shade, less air pollution and flooding, and many other good things that a healthy canopy of trees brings to us and our communities.
    Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The new law, which took effect in October, requires tow truck companies to give owners notice before hauling away a car for minor issues like failing to display an apartment complex’s parking permit or parking in the wrong space.
    Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The new law, which took effect in October, requires tow truck companies to give owners notice before hauling away a car for minor issues like failing to display an apartment complex’s parking permit or parking in the wrong space.
    Ginny Monk, ProPublica, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Get well Dodger friend and may God bless you and your family.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
  • That's all well and good, and that's a huge part of the learning process.
    Bryant Reed, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The only question was which lever Brown would pull to save his team’s season in the first round of the playoffs.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • All of which is great news for Adam Silver and everyone else pulling a paycheck from the league.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Its robust lineup is often highlighted by these in-person events, which fete all manner of talents and their projects, both new and older.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The company claims that the latest announcement bolsters Australia’s industrial capacity, to design, build and sustain key defence assets, while ensuring a robust supply chain.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As the Iran war drags on, concerns over rising gas prices and other costs have ballooned, sending consumer sentiment plummeting.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But now, in a last-ditch attempt to save the whale, a team has loaded Timmy onto a specialized barge to essentially drag it to the North Sea.
    K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Sometimes a person opens the top of their skull to reach inside; in her painting Threading the Story Through the Eye of a Needle (circa 1974), a hand pulls a line of thread through a pupil, towing two tiny people in a boat, suggesting both sight and an idea made manifest.
    Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Keep a distance from high profile vehicles such as trucks, buses and vehicles towing trailers.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hale. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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