hewed; hewed or hewn
ˈhyün 
; hewing
; hewing
1
: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
roughly hewn logs
2
: to cut down by blows of an ax
hew a tree
3
: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows
hewed their farms from the wilderness—
J. T. Shotwell
J. T. Shotwell1
: to make cutting blows (as with an ax)
hewer
noun
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Examples of hew in a Sentence
Verb
They hewed logs to build a cabin.
The walls are built of stones hewn by skilled craftsmen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 19 Apr. 2025
More likely to be affected are cheaper generic drugs, whose prices hew more closely to production costs.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
In 2018, Villaraigosa ran a campaign that hewed toward the middle, focusing on equal access to education, fiscal restraint and his strong record as mayor on supporting law enforcement and protecting the environment.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
This version hews a little closer to the source and also has the coldest, most clinical take so far, courtesy of Robert Elswit’s gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and Steven Zaillian’s ace direction.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hew
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Verb
One Piece studio Toei Animation also prefers to hew close to the manga.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 19 Apr. 2025
More likely to be affected are cheaper generic drugs, whose prices hew more closely to production costs.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
In 2018, Villaraigosa ran a campaign that hewed toward the middle, focusing on equal access to education, fiscal restraint and his strong record as mayor on supporting law enforcement and protecting the environment.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
This version hews a little closer to the source and also has the coldest, most clinical take so far, courtesy of Robert Elswit’s gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and Steven Zaillian’s ace direction.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hew
Cite this Entry
“Hew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hew. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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