top-heavy
adjective
1
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part
2
: having too high a proportion of administrators
a top-heavy bureaucracy
3
: oversupplied with one element at the expense of others : lacking balance
a novel top-heavy with description
Examples of top-heavy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The stem is slightly short, and the glass feels a bit top-heavy when full, but not uncomfortably so.
—
Laura Denby, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
The Yankees had baseball's No. 3 offense this year, scoring 815 runs with a top-heavy lineup that's now suddenly without a key contributor.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
Designed by modernist architect Marcel Breuer, the 1960s building is known for its austere, top-heavy form, punctuated by a handful of trapezoidal windows.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
If traditional powerhouses such as Michigan, USC, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Washington can rebound next season, the Big Ten’s depth could grow to rival the SEC’s, reshaping its reputation as a top-heavy league.
—Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-heavy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Laura Denby, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
The Yankees had baseball's No. 3 offense this year, scoring 815 runs with a top-heavy lineup that's now suddenly without a key contributor.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
Designed by modernist architect Marcel Breuer, the 1960s building is known for its austere, top-heavy form, punctuated by a handful of trapezoidal windows.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
If traditional powerhouses such as Michigan, USC, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Washington can rebound next season, the Big Ten’s depth could grow to rival the SEC’s, reshaping its reputation as a top-heavy league.
—Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-heavy
Dictionary Entries Near top-heavy
Cite this Entry
“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-heavy. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share