heck

noun

ˈhek How to pronounce heck (audio)
Synonyms of hecknext
1
: hell sense 2
all heck breaks loose
2
: hell sense 4
a heck of a lot of money

Synonyms of heck

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Examples of heck in a Sentence

it looks like heck in that boy's bedroom
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Mostly, the 29-year-old veteran and 21-year-old rookie are forming one heck of a mutual admiration society. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 High Proof is clearly a heck of a place to start familiarizing yourself. — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Yet these survivors are so hard-wired to be fearful of their neighbors that Hig and Cima’s rusty, tentative flirtation takes place under the gaze of her daddy’s gun, a heck of a chaperone. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Cornerback/nickel back/who-the-heck-knows back Jahdae Barron appeared in 30% of Denver’s snaps as a rookie last fall. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heck

Word History

Etymology

euphemism

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of heck was in 1887

Rhymes for heck

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Browse Nearby Words

Hechtia
heck
Heck
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Cite this Entry

“Heck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heck. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Biographical Definition

Heck

biographical name

ˈhek How to pronounce Heck (audio)
Richard F(red) 1931–2015 American chemist
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