hoist

1 of 2

verb

ˈhȯist How to pronounce hoist (audio)
chiefly dialectal
ˈhīst How to pronounce hoist (audio)
hoisted; hoisting; hoists

transitive verb

1
: lift, raise
especially : to raise into position by or as if by means of tackle
hoist a flag
hoist the sails
Cargo was hoisted up into the ship.
2
: drink sense 1
hoist a few beers

intransitive verb

: to become hoisted : rise
let it hoist to the upper deck
hoister noun

hoist

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act of raising or lifting : an act of hoisting (see hoist entry 1)
gave him a hoist over the wall
2
: an apparatus (such as a tackle or a hydraulic lift) for lifting or raising : an apparatus for hoisting (see hoist entry 1)
3
: the height of a flag when viewed flying
a flag with a 20-foot hoist
Choose the Right Synonym for hoist

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of hoist in a Sentence

Verb The steel girders were hoisted into place and securely welded. The engine was hoisted out with a winch. The cargo was hoisted up onto the ship. He stopped at a bar after work to hoist a few beers with his friends. She hoisted a last-second shot that would have won the game if it had gone in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The driver was eventually hoisted onto a police boat and taken into custody, according to CHP records. Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 With the Fire committing players up the pitch, the American midfielder hoisted the ball forward hoping for a miracle and the wind in the Windy City seemed to oblige. Sam Joseph, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 Another model, the former N.R.A. spokeswoman Dana Loesch, hoists two rifles. Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024 Thanks to the hydraulics system, the mainsail can be hoisted and lowered on a wireless remote control. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 One at a time, a contestant — carrying a sandbag — would be hoisted up in the air to the top of the jungle's tree canopy. Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 The head vehicle attendant hoisted a mini megaphone to better call out whose car had just pulled up. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 He’s hoisted an average of 2.8 free throws per game. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 Salesian hoisted the trophy to celebrate the section championship. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
Shute hoists Albert up to Elsa’s eye level and holds him there. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2024 Not enough 3s to Vogel's likening Phoenix coach Frank Vogel talked after the game about how Orlando’s defense stayed home on the pick-and-roll, which factored into only generating 14 hoists from 3. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 28 Jan. 2024 Waitresses hoist magnums of Dom Pérignon, cutting a path through VIPs in the pit. Jay Cheshes, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2023 The department added that the rescue was made possible after the 18-wheeler truck was secured with a grip hoist and other equipment to prevent the vehicle from further rolling. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2023 Members envisioned a state-of-the-art facility with 170 boat slips, a guest dock, a small boat hoist and a dry land storage facility for boats. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023 Steelers offensive lineman James Daniels, right, hoists running back Jaylen Warren in the air while celebrating Warren’s second-half touchdown. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2023 This hoist is compact, sets up easily, and will hang the heaviest buck with the press of a button. The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023 Well padre left me standing with 164 possible solutions—yuck—and hoist didn’t do much to drag that number down. Erik Kain, Forbes, 12 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hoist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of hoise

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoist was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near hoist

Cite this Entry

“Hoist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoist. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hoist

1 of 2 verb
: to raise or become raised into position especially by mechanical means
hoister noun

hoist

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act of hoisting : lift
2
: a machine for hoisting heavy loads

More from Merriam-Webster on hoist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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