heftier; heftiest
1
: quite heavy
2
a
: marked by bigness, bulk, and usually strength
a hefty football player
c
: impressively large : substantial
hefty portions
heftily adverb
heftiness noun

Examples of hefty in a Sentence

He was a tall, hefty man. Her boss gave her a hefty raise. a hefty dose of irony He gave the door a hefty kick.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Armed with probably their best shot at making the NBA Finals since Patrick Ewing's '90s heyday, the 2025-26 New York Knicks are hoping not to shrink under the weight of hefty expectations. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 After redeeming a Game Piece, fans will get the opportunity to play the bonus game (also known as Bonus Play) in the McDonald’s app for a second chance to win rarer but heftier prizes. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 That puts a lot more pressure and responsibility on Faber and Jake Middleton to shoulder a hefty burden. The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 As Lucky, Thornton is a source of sly humor, then entrancing with his hefty first-act monologue. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hefty

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hefty was in 1863

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hefty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hefty. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hefty

adjective
heftier; heftiest
heftily adverb
heftiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hefty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!