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heap

Transitive VerbIntransitive Verb[C/U] Both
pl: heapspast: heapedpp: heapeding: heapingcomp: more heapedsup: most heaped

This word evokes a sense of disorder and lack of structure. It suggests a haphazard accumulation where items are thrown together without care or organization, creating a visual of chaos or abundance. It is often used to describe things that are discarded or neglected, like a heap of scrap metal. In a figurative sense, it describes an overwhelming quantity of something intangible. When someone is given a heap of praise or a heap of trouble, the word conveys a feeling of being buried or smothered by the sheer volume of the experience, shifting the image from a physical pile to an emotional or social weight.

Countable when referring to a distinct pile of items like a heap of sand. Uncountable when referring to the general state of being piled or in certain archaic uses of mass.

Meanings

Noun
[something]

A messy pile of objects placed on top of one another.

"a heap of old clothes on the floor"

Transitive Verb
[someone][something]

To place a large amount of something in a pile.

"she heaped the mashed potatoes onto the plate"

Intransitive Verb
[something]

To accumulate or pile up naturally.

"the snow heaped up against the driveway"

Last Updated: May 27, 2026Report an Error