heavyweight
noun
heavy·weight
ˈhe-vē-ˌwāt 
often attributive
1
: one that is above average in weight
2
: one in the usually heaviest class of contestants: such as
a
: a boxer in an unlimited weight division compare light heavyweight
b
: a weight lifter weighing more than 198 pounds
3
: one that possesses great power, prominence, or stature
industry heavyweights
Examples of heavyweight in a Sentence
Their company is one of the industry's heavyweights.
a heavyweight in the U.S. Senate, he has a lot of clout in judicial confirmations
Recent Examples on the Web
Also on Wednesday, Harry Kane of England and Croatia's Luka Modrić square off in a Group L match of heavyweights.
—
Russell Lewis, NPR, 17 June 2026
Throughout the series, Hart is joined by a circle of comedy heavyweights who help decide which comics advance, offering a behind-the-curtain look at the pressure, triumphs, and occasional bombs that define a stand-up career.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Shares surged almost 5% Tuesday, pushing the rocket company's valuation above several technology heavyweights, including Amazon, and briefly surpassing Microsoft.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 16 June 2026
That result was the surprise of the tournament so far and a reminder to the heavyweights that anything can happen at the World Cup.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
Winkler welcomed being in Banff among industry heavyweights during a sit-down interview led by Mikey O’Connell, senior entertainment editor at The Hollywood Reporter.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
That person is referring to heavyweight Josh Hokit, who is facing widespread backlash for making a vile joke about former first lady Michelle Obama after winning his match over Derrick Lewis.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Gane has fought for the UFC heavyweight title three times, losing to Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones and, most recently, having his bout opposite Tom Aspinall stopped after an eye poke left Aspinall unable to continue.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
With heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall on the sideline, Ciryl Gane will challenge former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who will step up to heavyweight in an attempt to win the interim belt.
—Brett Appley, New York Times, 14 June 2026
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.
Russell Lewis, NPR, 17 June 2026
Throughout the series, Hart is joined by a circle of comedy heavyweights who help decide which comics advance, offering a behind-the-curtain look at the pressure, triumphs, and occasional bombs that define a stand-up career.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Shares surged almost 5% Tuesday, pushing the rocket company's valuation above several technology heavyweights, including Amazon, and briefly surpassing Microsoft.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 16 June 2026
That result was the surprise of the tournament so far and a reminder to the heavyweights that anything can happen at the World Cup.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
Winkler welcomed being in Banff among industry heavyweights during a sit-down interview led by Mikey O’Connell, senior entertainment editor at The Hollywood Reporter.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
That person is referring to heavyweight Josh Hokit, who is facing widespread backlash for making a vile joke about former first lady Michelle Obama after winning his match over Derrick Lewis.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Gane has fought for the UFC heavyweight title three times, losing to Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones and, most recently, having his bout opposite Tom Aspinall stopped after an eye poke left Aspinall unable to continue.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
With heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall on the sideline, Ciryl Gane will challenge former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who will step up to heavyweight in an attempt to win the interim belt.
—Brett Appley, New York Times, 14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heavyweight
noun
heavy·weight
ˈhev-ē-ˌwāt
1
: one above average in weight
2
: one in the heaviest class of contestants
especially
: a boxer in an unlimited weight division
3
: someone or something that is very important or powerful
a company that is an industry heavyweight
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
