What's the Difference Between 'Hale' and 'Hail'?

In this blog post we look at when to use hale and when to use hail.

'Hale' or 'Hail'?

Hail and hale are two words that are often confused due to their similar spelling, but they have completely different meanings.

Hail refers to small balls of ice that fall from the sky during a thunderstorm. It is a type of precipitation that can cause damage to crops, vehicles, and property.

Hail is usually associated with severe weather and can be dangerous for people caught in hailstorms, as the falling ice can cause injury.

When used as a verb, "hail" means to greet or address someone or something with a loud noise or shout, typically to get their attention or as a form of expression.

It can also mean to throw stones or other objects at someone or something, typically as a form of attack.

On the other hand, hale is an adjective that means healthy and strong.

It is often used to describe a person or thing that is in good physical or mental condition.

For example, one might say "He is an old man, but he is still hale and hearty."

It can also be used as a verb, which means to pull or drag, usually with effort or force.

An example would be "The rescuers had to hale the boat to the shore" or "The workers had to hale the heavy load up the hill". This meaning is less common than the adjective meaning.

In summary, hail refers to a type of weather condition characterized by falling ice, while hale as an adjective means healthy and strong and as a verb means to pull or drag.

Both words have additional meanings, but their primary meanings are distinct from each other.

  1. Here are some example sentences to explain the difference between the words “hail” and “hale”:

    Hail:

    "The hailstorm ruined the farmer's crop this year."

    • In this sentence, hail refers to the small balls of ice that fell from the sky during a thunderstorm and caused damage to the farmer's crop.

    Hale:

    "The athlete is in hale condition and ready to compete."

    • In this sentence, hale is used as an adjective to describe the athlete's physical condition, meaning that they are healthy and strong.

    Hail:

    "The crowd hailed cheers as the team scored the winning goal"

    • In this sentence, hail refers to the action of shouting or cheering, in this case, when the team scores the winning goal.

    Hale:

    "The rescue team had to hale the injured person out of the ravine."

    • In this sentence, hale is used as a verb, meaning to pull or drag, in this case, the rescue team had to pull the injured person out of the ravine.

Examples of Hale in a Sentence

  1. "He is an old man, but he is still hale and hearty." (adjective)

  2. "She was haled back to health after her long illness." (verb)

  3. "The weather was so good, it put everyone in a hale mood." (noun)

  4. "The athlete is in hale condition and ready to compete." (adjective)

  5. "The ship was haled into port for repairs." (verb)

  6. "The patient has a hale and robust constitution." (adjective)

  7. "The rescue team had to hale the injured person out of the ravine." (verb)

  8. "The soldiers haled the enemy's flag down." (verb)

  9. "He was hale and hearty after the accident" (adjective)

  10. "The old building was in hale condition, despite its age." (adjective)

Examples of Hail in a Sentence

  1. "The hail was so loud it sounded like a drumbeat on the roof." (noun)

  2. "The hailstorm ruined the farmer's crop this year." (noun)

  3. "The crowd hailed cheers as the team scored the winning goal." (verb)

  4. "He hailed a taxi on the street corner." (verb)

  5. "The hail was so large it left dents in the car." (noun)

  6. "The storm was so severe, it brought hail and high winds." (noun)

  7. "The protesters hailed stones at the police." (verb)

  8. "Hail to the new queen!" (noun)

  9. "The hail was so heavy, it broke several windows." (noun)

  10. "Hail to the chief!" (noun)


Hale or Hail
Hale or Hail