heavily

adverb

heavi·​ly ˈhe-və-lē 

1

: to a great degree : severely

2

: slowly and laboriously : dully

3

archaic : with sorrow : grievously

4

: in a heavy manner

Synonyms

• extremely
• highly
• terribly
• very
• incredibly
• badly
• severely
• too
• so
• intensely
• greatly
• damned
• desperately
• really
• damn
• seriously
• wildly
• far
• much
• most
• especially

Examples of heavily in a Sentence

He relies heavily on his wife for advice.

These artists borrow heavily from Picasso.

Our flowers were heavily damaged by a late spring frost.

She drank and smoked heavily for years.

He sat down heavily on the couch.

He was leaning heavily on the table.

She sighed heavily then said “Okay, I'll do it.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Sandals Resorts has invested heavily in turning the Caribbean into a pickleball haven, with high-quality courts, pro-grade gear, and on-site instructors ready to guide first-timers. —AFAR Media, 27 Sep. 2025

Group dynamics are especially important under this lunar phase, and for many of you, the expectations of others are starting to weigh heavily on your shoulders. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025

Europe has historically relied more heavily on venture funds and corporate investors. —Aman Ghei, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025

The California Biodiversity Day BioBlitz hosted by the Friends focused heavily on this type of documentation. —Madison Beveridge, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heavily

• heavily armed

Rhymes for heavily

• evilly