heal

heal — verb

1. to become fully healthy again after being physically hurt or injured, or to caus

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to become fully healthy again after being physically hurt or injured, or to cause a physical injury to become healthy

例句

Kasia's knife cut was not deep, but the skin took over a week to heal.

intransitive: [injury] + heals

The nurse applied a special cream to help heal Darius's burn after the accident.

transitive: heal + object (burn / wound / skin)

同義詞
  • cure

    used more for diseases and illnesses, while 'heal' is more for wounds and injuries

  • recover

    intransitive only; describes the person getting better, not the injury itself

  • mend

    more informal; often used for broken bones ('the bone mended')

  • get better

    general and informal; less specific to injuries

反義詞
  • injure

    to cause physical harm

  • hurt

    to cause pain or injury

  • wound

    to cause a cut or injury to the skin or body

文法句型

heal + noun (wound / cut / injury / bone / burn)

[body part / injury] + heals (intransitive)

slow to heal

用法筆記

Frequently used intransitively with the injury or body part as subject ('the wound healed'). When transitive, the object is the injury itself ('heal a cut') rather than the person. For diseases, 'cure' is more common than 'heal'.

常見錯誤

❌I need to heal my headache.
✅I need to get rid of my headache.
💡'heal' is not used for temporary aches or pains like headaches; it is used for cuts, burns, broken bones, and other injuries.
❌The medicine healed my father.
✅The medicine cured my father.' or 'The medicine helped my father heal.
💡'cure' is preferred for diseases; 'heal' focuses on the injury or wound itself.

2. if a damaged relationship, painful emotion, or difficult situation heals, it sto

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

if a damaged relationship, painful emotion, or difficult situation heals, it stops causing suffering and returns to a peaceful state, or you heal it by making it return to a peaceful state

例句

The argument between Ezra and Kevin badly damaged their friendship, but it slowly healed over time.

intransitive: relationship + heals

Tamar went to see a counselor every week to help heal the pain of losing her job.

transitive: heal + pain / hurt / emotion

同義詞
  • repair

    similar to 'heal' for relationships, but 'repair' suggests deliberate action while 'heal' suggests a natural process

  • resolve

    focuses on finding a solution to a disagreement, while 'heal' is more about emotional recovery

  • mend

    slightly more informal; often used for relationships ('mend a friendship')

  • soothe

    less intense; means to reduce pain or anger rather than make it fully go away

反義詞
  • worsen

    to make a situation or emotion more painful

  • damage

    to cause harm to a relationship or situation

  • upset

    to make someone feel unhappy or worried

文法句型

[relationship / emotion] + heals (intransitive)

heal + noun (relationship / rift / pain / hurt / disagreement)

用法筆記

Subject can be a personal emotion ('her sadness healed'), a relationship between people ('their friendship healed'), or a disagreement ('the rift healed'). The transitive use often involves an action or third party helping to resolve the emotional situation. Not used for temporary everyday moods — 'heal' describes a deeper, longer process.

常見錯誤

❌I need to heal my bad mood before dinner.
✅I need to get over my bad mood before dinner.
💡'heal' is too strong for temporary everyday emotions; use it for deeper emotional pain or long-lasting hurt.
❌She healed the friendship by herself.' (sounds unnatural)
✅She worked to heal the friendship by talking things through.
💡the transitive use typically needs a supporting action or process, not just a simple one-step fix.