heavy 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhe-vē How to pronounce heavy (audio)
Definition of heavynext
1
as in massive
having great weight this trunk full of books is much too heavy for one person to lift

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2
as in slow
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the study of history doesn't have to be all about dull heavy reading and the memorization of dates

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3
as in greasy
containing much seasoning, fat, or sugar avoid heavy desserts like cheesecake and pecan pie

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4
as in hazy
covered over by clouds heavy skies threatening rain

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5
as in harsh
difficult to endure they paid a heavy price for their mistakes

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6
as in intensive
extreme in degree, power, or effect heavy rains the company is forecasting heavy losses this year

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7
as in serious
having a matter of importance as its topic got into a heavy discussion about death and the afterlife

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8
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort until we find our groove, it's going to be heavy sledding on this project

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9
as in powerful
having great power or influence she's not among the handful of heavy critics who can make or break a Broadway show

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10
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body the heifer was heavy with young and soon would be birthing

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heavy

2 of 2

noun

1
as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person he played the heavy in film after film until being cast against type as the romantic lead in a comedy

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2
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group in the field of secondary education, she definitely ranks as one of the heavies

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective heavy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of heavy are cumbersome, cumbrous, ponderous, and weighty. While all these words mean "having great weight," heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

How are the words cumbrous and cumbersome related as synonyms of heavy?

Both cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture
early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

When could ponderous be used to replace heavy?

The meanings of ponderous and heavy largely overlap; however, ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

Where would weighty be a reasonable alternative to heavy?

In some situations, the words weighty and heavy are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of heavy
Adjective
The ultimate facsimile of the invigorating classic is on heavy rotation at Stella. —Brad Japhe, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025 Strong tornadoes possible Severe thunderstorms will roar to life south of where the heaviest rain falls Saturday. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
Noun
But at six-foot-two, with the big, square features and the theatrical presence of a human monolith, Chen looks as well as buzzes like the authority figures and heavies that are a star basso’s ticket to the really big time. —airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024 That left their lineup quite right-hander heavy, with only Yordan Alvarez lurking as a power threat from the left side. —Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for heavy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy
  1. massive
  2. slow
  3. greasy
  4. hazy
  5. harsh
  6. intensive
  7. serious
  8. difficult
Adjective
  • The Senate's version would break it up into two pieces for the sake of speed, and the House's version would wrap it into one massive package in the hopes of squeezing it through their narrow Republican majority.
    — Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Not refining the budget on paper by playing with numbers, but by being productively smart and undertaking a massive effort of production engineering.
    — John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of massive
Adjective
  • While there, we were met with a slower pace of life, more affordable off-season rates, and fewer crowds.
    — Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2025
  • The latter half of the show had a bit of a lull, with the audience staying less engaged and driven as some of the slower tracks blended into each other.
    — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The batter was great, though: a thin layer of crunch that wasn’t too greasy.
    — Sara Murphy, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Other common symptoms of CF include coughing attacks (often with phlegm), shortness of breath, greasy and bulky stools, rectal prolapse and constipation.
    — Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025
Definition of greasy
Adjective
  • Any taco pairs beautifully with our hazy pale ale, Warplanes.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Costumed performers parade past brick houses against hazy backdrops, the eyes of their masks seemingly lost in thought.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Definition of hazy
Adjective
  • The delays follow the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a warning over harsh weather for residents of Huntersville and Gastonia in North Carolina, which is also affecting the Charlotte Douglas Airport.
    — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
  • The protest was not politically motivated, but demonstrations in the country can sometimes lead to political unrest under the harsh regime.
    — Brie Stimson, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • In particular, teams deploying fiber-optic drones that send and receive signals via millimeters-thick wires rather than via radio—a method of control that helps the operators circumvent intensive Ukrainian radio jamming.
    — David Axe, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
  • When babies born at Carroll need intensive neonatal care, they are sent to Sinai.
    — Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2025
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • For years, though, the independent federal agency took serious enforcement actions, which were spurred by consumer complaints and investigative reports.
    — Susan Tompor, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Monday's crash is the fifth serious aviation incident since late January, including the crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C., between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane that left 67 dead.
    — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
Definition of serious
Adjective
  • Stars of Durant’s stature can be notoriously difficult to pin down for interviews.
    — Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
  • But breaking with Russian gas has been difficult for Austria, which until recently was one of a handful of European countries to keep importing the fuel by pipeline.
    — Stanley Reed, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of difficult

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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