# heal

/ˈhiɫ/ (US) · /hˈiːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heal
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to become healthy again

verb · CEFR B1

to get better after being hurt or sick.

For teachers: to become sound or healthy again; used intransitively to describe the natural recovery process of a wound or body part.

- The doctor said the broken bone would take about six weeks to heal.
- Although the superficial cuts closed quickly, the deep bruising took several months to heal completely.

Usage: Often used without an object when referring to the body's natural process.

### 2. to cure someone

verb · CEFR B2

to make someone healthy again or to fix a wound.

For teachers: to cause a wound, injury, or person to become healthy again. Transitive use implies an external agent or treatment.

- The new cream helped to heal the skin infection very quickly.
- Ancient civilisations used various herbs and rituals in an attempt to heal the sick and wounded after battle.

Usage: Takes a direct object, such as the patient or the specific injury.

### 3. to fix a relationship or feeling

verb · CEFR B2

to make a bad situation or a broken relationship better.

For teachers: to reconcile a breach or difference; to restore emotional or social wholeness.

- It took many years for the two families to heal their relationship after the argument.
- The peace talks were designed to heal the divisions that had torn the country apart for decades.

Usage: Commonly used with abstract nouns like 'rift', 'division', or 'wound'.

### 4. gaming/magic

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

in games, a spell or power that gives a character more health.

For teachers: a specific action, spell, or ability in a game context that restores a character's health points.

- The team survived the boss fight because the priest provided a quick heal.
- The player's strategy relied on a constant cycle of shields and heals to mitigate the boss's high damage output.

Teaching tip: This is specific to gaming culture; in standard English, 'healing' is the preferred noun form.

## Examples

- The doctor says the broken bone will heal in six weeks.
- It took several months for the deep cut on his leg to heal completely without leaving a scar.
- While physical wounds often close quickly with proper care, emotional trauma can take years to heal, requiring patience and consistent support from loved ones.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.