adj

heaving

HEE-vihng

Heaving (adj) means informal: very crowded. Example: “The bar was heaving by midnight.”

adj

Informal: very crowded.

"The bar was heaving by midnight."

Rising and falling noticeably, especially from strong emotion or effort.

"Her chest was heaving after the sprint."

How to Use Heaving

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither "packed with people" (informal British usage) or visibly rising and falling.

When to use it

"Heaving" meaning crowded is informal British English.

Common pairings

heaving with people heaving crowds a heaving chest

more heaving comparative, heavings plural, most heaving superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The bar was _____ by midnight.

having saving caving waving paving raving weaving shaving craving slaving behaving engraving

What does “heaving” mean?

The word “heaving” means informal: very crowded. In plain terms, either "packed with people" (informal British usage) or visibly rising and falling.

How do you pronounce “heaving”?

“Heaving” is pronounced HEE-vihng (/ˈhiːvɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “heaving” in a sentence?

Here is “heaving” used in a sentence: “The bar was heaving by midnight.”

What part of speech is “heaving”?

“Heaving” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “heaving” have?

“Heaving” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal: very crowded.