Synonyms of top-heavynext
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
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.
The 1968 lineup was incredibly top-heavy with peak Carl Yastrzemski and a 35-homer season by Ken Harrelson, and the 2014 club featured David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and rookie Mookie Betts, even though many of the heroes of the 2013 World Series team wound up taking big steps back. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 June 2026 The top-heavy design of 'Norwegian Epic' leads many to call the NCL cruise ship ugly. David Nikel, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 When the Avs looked too top-heavy in 2023-24, management went on a spending spree last season to bolster the supporting cast around Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 8 June 2026 The Cubs players continued to taunt Ruth at every opportunity, and a big one came their way in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jurges slashed a sinking liner into right field and the lumbering, top-heavy Babe muffed a shoestring catch. Literary Hub, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for top-heavy

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-heavy was circa 1531

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-heavy. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

top-heavy

adjective
ˈtäp-ˌhev-ē
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part

More from Merriam-Webster on top-heavy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster