Meaning & use

hoist

verb·Everyday

To raise something heavy into position, typically using a rope, pulley, or other mechanical support.

See it in a sentence

Sailors worked together to hoist the heavy sail up the mast.

They used a crane to hoist the piano to the fourth-floor window.

A note on using this word

Hoist implies effort against weight, often with equipment, unlike the more general and effortless-sounding 'lift'.

Words with a similar meaning

liftraise

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

lowerdrop

Make it your own

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