Heave vs. Sway — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 16, 2024
Heave refers to a strong, forceful upward or downward movement, often involving heavy lifting or exertion, while sway denotes a gentle, back-and-forth or side-to-side motion, typically smooth and continuous.
Difference Between Heave and Sway
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Key Differences
Heave involves a significant, forceful movement, often upwards or downwards, requiring considerable effort or force. It can describe physical actions, such as lifting a heavy object or the up-and-down motion of the sea. Sway, on the other hand, refers to a gentle, rhythmic back-and-forth or side-to-side motion. It often implies a smooth and continuous movement without the exertion associated with heaving.
Heave is associated with exertion and force, implying a strong, often abrupt motion. It can also describe an involuntary movement, such as the heaving of the chest during heavy breathing or the heave of the stomach when nauseous. Sway, in contrast, suggests a calm, gentle motion that is typically voluntary and controlled. It can describe movements that are soothing or hypnotic, such as the swaying of a hammock or the gentle sway of a boat on calm waters.
While both terms describe types of movement, their nature and connotations differ markedly. Heave indicates forceful, often strenuous motion, while sway implies a gentle, relaxed movement.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Forceful upward or downward movement
Gentle back-and-forth or side-to-side motion
Nature of Motion
Strong, forceful, often involving exertion
Smooth, continuous, rhythmic
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Common Contexts
Lifting heavy objects, chest heaving, sea movement
Trees in the wind, dancing, gentle boat movement
Emotional Connotation
Exertion, effort, powerful forces
Calm, relaxed, soothing
Example
Sailors heave ropes to hoist sails.
The trees sway gently in the breeze.
Compare with Definitions
Heave
To lift or move something with great effort.
He had to heave the heavy suitcase into the car.
Sway
To move gently from side to side.
The hammock swayed in the breeze.
Heave
To raise or lift, especially with great effort or force
Heaved the box of books onto the table.
Sway
To influence or control someone's decisions or opinions.
The persuasive speech swayed the voters.
Heave
To throw (a heavy object) with great effort; hurl
Heave the shot.
Heaved a brick through the window.
Sway
To lean or incline in a particular direction.
The tall grass swayed with the wind.
Heave
To throw or toss
Heaved his backpack into the corner.
Sway
To move back and forth in a rhythmic manner.
They swayed to the music at the concert.
Heave
To give out or utter with effort or pain
Heaved a sigh.
Heaved a groan.
Sway
To hold power or influence.
The queen swayed the court with her presence.
Heave
To vomit (something).
Sway
To swing back and forth or to and fro.
Heave
To raise or haul up by means of a rope, line, or cable
Hove the anchor up and set sail.
Sway
To incline or bend to one side; veer
She swayed and put out a hand to steady herself.
Heave
To move (a ship) in a certain direction or into a certain position by hauling
Hove the ship astern.
Sway
To incline toward change, as in opinion or feeling
He swayed toward trying out for the chorus.
Heave
To make rise or swell
The wind heaving huge waves.
An exhausted dog heaving its chest.
Sway
To fluctuate, as in outlook.
Heave
(Geology) To displace or move (a vein, lode, or stratum, for example).
Sway
To cause to swing back and forth or to and fro
The breeze swayed the wheat.
Heave
To rise up or swell, as if pushed up; bulge
The sidewalk froze and heaved.
Sway
To cause to incline or bend
The wind swayed the trees toward the house.
Heave
To rise and fall in turn, as waves.
Sway
To exert influence or control over
His speech swayed the voters.
Heave
To gag or vomit.
Sway
(Nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
Heave
To pant; gasp
Heave for air.
Sway
To rule or govern.
Heave
To move in a certain direction or to a specified position
The frigate hove alongside.
Sway
To wield, as a weapon or scepter.
Heave
To pull at or haul a rope or cable
The brig is heaving around on the anchor.
Sway
The act of moving from side to side with a swinging motion.
Heave
To push at a capstan bar or lever.
Sway
Influence or control
The mayor has a lot of sway in our town.
Heave
The act or effort of raising or lifting something
With a great heave hauled the fish onto the deck.
Sway
The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
Heave
An act of hurling; a throw, especially when considered in terms of distance
A heave of 63 feet.
Sway
A rocking or swinging motion.
The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
Heave
A horizontal dislocation, as of a rock stratum, at a fault.
Sway
Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side
I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
Heave
An upward movement of a surface, especially when caused by swelling and expansion of clay, removal of overburden, or freezing of subsurface water.
Sway
Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
Heave
An upward movement, especially of a ship or aircraft.
Sway
Rule; dominion; control; power.
Heave
The act or an instance of gagging or vomiting.
Sway
A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
Heave
Heaves (used with a sing. or pl. verb) See recurrent airway obstruction.
Sway
The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.
Heave
(transitive) To lift with difficulty; to raise with some effort; to lift (a heavy thing).
We heaved the chest-of-drawers on to the second-floor landing.
Sway
To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
Sway to the music
The trees swayed in the breeze.
Heave
(transitive) To throw, cast.
They heaved rocks into the pond.
The cap'n hove the body overboard.
Sway
To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
To sway the sceptre
Heave
(intransitive) To rise and fall.
Her chest heaved with emotion.
Sway
To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade.
Do you think you can sway their decision?
Heave
(transitive) To utter with effort.
She heaved a sigh and stared out of the window.
Sway
To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
Reeds swayed by the wind
Judgment swayed by passion
Heave
To pull up with a rope or cable.
Heave up the anchor there, boys!
Sway
(nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
To sway up the yards
Heave
To lift (generally); to raise, or cause to move upwards (particularly in ships or vehicles) or forwards.
Sway
To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
Heave
(intransitive) To be thrown up or raised; to rise upward, as a tower or mound.
Sway
To have weight or influence.
Heave
To displace (a vein, stratum).
Sway
To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
Heave
To cause to swell or rise, especially in repeated exertions.
The wind heaved the waves.
Sway
To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter.
As sparkles from the anvil rise,When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed.
Heave
To move in a certain direction or into a certain position or situation.
To heave the ship ahead
Sway
To influence or direct by power and authority; by persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide.
The will of man is by his reason swayed.
She could not sway her house.
This was the raceTo sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
Heave
(intransitive) To retch, to make an effort to vomit; to vomit.
The smell of the old cheese was enough to make you heave.
Sway
To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind; judgment swayed by passion.
As bowls run true by being madeOn purpose false, and to be swayed.
Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
Heave
(intransitive) To make an effort to raise, throw, or move anything; to strain to do something difficult.
Sway
To hoist; as, to sway up the yards.
Heave
To rob; to steal from; to plunder.
Sway
To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
The balance sways on our part.
Heave
An effort to raise something, such as a weight or one's own body, or to move something heavy.
Sway
To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward.
Heave
An upward motion; a rising; a swell or distention, as of the breast in difficult breathing, of the waves, of the earth in an earthquake, etc.
Sway
To have weight or influence.
The example of sundry churches . . . doth sway much.
Heave
A horizontal dislocation in a metallic lode, taking place at an intersection with another lode.
Sway
To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.
Heave
(nautical) The measure of extent to which a nautical vessel goes up and down in a short period of time. Compare pitch.
Sway
The act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep of a weapon.
With huge two-handed sway brandished aloft.
Heave
An effort to vomit; retching.
Sway
Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
Heave
Broken wind in horses.
Sway
Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
ExpertWhen to advance, or stand, or turn the swayOf battle.
Heave
(cricket) A forceful shot in which the ball follows a high trajectory
Sway
Rule; dominion; control.
When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway,The post of honor is a private station.
Heave
To cause to move upward or onward by a lifting effort; to lift; to raise; to hoist; - often with up; as, the wave heaved the boat on land.
One heaved ahigh, to be hurled down below.
Here a little child I stand,Heaving up my either hand.
Sway
A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
Heave
To throw; to cast; - obsolete, provincial, or colloquial, except in certain nautical phrases; as, to heave the lead; to heave the log.
Sway
Controlling influence
Heave
To force from, or into, any position; to cause to move; also, to throw off; - mostly used in certain nautical phrases; as, to heave the ship ahead.
Sway
Pitching dangerously to one side
Heave
To raise or force from the breast; to utter with effort; as, to heave a sigh.
The wretched animal heaved forth such groans.
Sway
Move back and forth or sideways;
The ship was rocking
The tall building swayed
She rocked back and forth on her feet
Heave
To cause to swell or rise, as the breast or bosom.
The glittering, finny swarmsThat heave our friths, and crowd upon our shores.
Sway
Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner;
He swung back
Heave
To be thrown up or raised; to rise upward, as a tower or mound.
And the huge columns heave into the sky.
Where heaves the turf in many a moldering heap.
The heaving sods of Bunker Hill.
Sway
Win approval or support for;
Carry all before one
His speech did not sway the voters
Heave
To rise and fall with alternate motions, as the lungs in heavy breathing, as waves in a heavy sea, as ships on the billows, as the earth when broken up by frost, etc.; to swell; to dilate; to expand; to distend; hence, to labor; to struggle.
Frequent for breath his panting bosom heaves.
The heaving plain of ocean.
Sway
Cause to move back and forth;
Rock the cradle
Rock the baby
The wind swayed the trees gently
Heave
To make an effort to raise, throw, or move anything; to strain to do something difficult.
The Church of England had struggled and heaved at a reformation ever since Wyclif's days.
Heave
To make an effort to vomit; to retch; to vomit.
Heave
An effort to raise something, as a weight, or one's self, or to move something heavy.
After many strains and heavesHe got up to his saddle eaves.
Heave
An upward motion; a rising; a swell or distention, as of the breast in difficult breathing, of the waves, of the earth in an earthquake, and the like.
There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves,You must translate.
None could guess whether the next heave of the earthquake would settle . . . or swallow them.
Heave
A horizontal dislocation in a metallic lode, taking place at an intersection with another lode.
Heave
An upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling);
The heaving of waves on a rough sea
Heave
(geology) a horizontal dislocation
Heave
The act of lifting something with great effort
Heave
An involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting;
A bad case of the heaves
Heave
The act of raising something;
He responded with a lift of his eyebrow
Fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up
Heave
Throwing something heavy (with great effort);
He gave it a mighty heave
He was not good at heaving passes
Heave
Utter a sound, as with obvious effort;
She heaved a deep sigh when she saw the list of things to do
Heave
Throw with great effort
Heave
Rise and move, as in waves or billows;
The army surged forward
Heave
Lift or elevate
Heave
Nautical: to move or cause to move in a specified way, direction, or position;
The vessel hove into sight
Heave
Breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted;
The runners reached the finish line, panting heavily
Heave
Bend out of shape, as under pressure or from heat;
The highway buckled during the heatwave
Heave
Make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit
Heave
To rise and fall rhythmically or spasmodically.
The ship's deck heaved in the stormy seas.
Heave
To make an effort to vomit or to gag.
She felt sick and began to heave.
Heave
To utter with effort or difficulty.
He heaved a deep sigh of relief.
Heave
To pull or lift with a continuous motion.
The workers heaved the anchor up from the water.
Common Curiosities
What does heave mean?
Heave refers to a strong, forceful upward or downward movement, often involving significant effort or exertion.
Can heave describe a motion without effort?
No, heave usually implies significant effort or force, whether it's physical exertion or natural forces.
Does heave have a calming connotation?
No, heave often conveys exertion and effort, sometimes associated with discomfort or strenuous activity.
How is heave used in a sentence?
"The workers had to heave the heavy machinery into place."
Does sway have a calming connotation?
Yes, sway often conveys a sense of calm, relaxation, and soothing movement.
What kind of environments is sway typically associated with?
Sway is often associated with nature, relaxation, or rhythmic movements like dancing.
Can sway describe a powerful movement?
No, sway typically implies a gentle and smooth movement without significant force or exertion.
How is sway used in a sentence?
"The trees swayed gently in the evening breeze."
What does sway mean?
Sway refers to a gentle, rhythmic back-and-forth or side-to-side motion that is typically smooth and continuous.
Is heave associated with voluntary actions?
Heave can be both voluntary, like lifting something heavy, and involuntary, like the heaving of the chest when breathing heavily.
What kind of environments is heave typically associated with?
Heave is often associated with physical labor, nautical settings, or situations requiring significant effort.
Is sway associated with voluntary actions?
Sway can describe both voluntary actions, like swaying to music, and involuntary ones, like trees swaying in the wind.
Can heave refer to emotional expressions?
Yes, heave can describe heavy sighs or sobs, indicating strong emotional effort.
Can sway refer to influencing opinions?
Yes, sway can also mean to influence or control someone's decisions or opinions.
Are heave and sway interchangeable?
No, they describe different types of movements with distinct characteristics and connotations.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
