1
: to a great degree : severely
The building was heavily damaged.
The decision weighs heavily on my mind. [=is very difficult and worrisome]
2
: slowly and laboriously : dully
sighed heavily
3
archaic
: with sorrow : grievously
4
: in a heavy manner
sat down heavily
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
Fourteen facilities in California used methyl methacrylate, or MMA, heavily enough to make it onto the Toxics Release Inventory list.
—
Jason Henry, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Why is the Rivian R2's release so heavily anticipated?
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Still, the web will likely remain heavily censored, experts warned; Tehran is reportedly using Chinese hardware to strengthen its censorship capabilities, further proof that Beijing is exporting the technology that powers its cutting-edge firewall.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
The Observer previously reported many communities planned to rely heavily on public complaints, voluntary compliance and observations from city staff already working in the field rather than deploying dedicated enforcement teams.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
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Jason Henry, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Why is the Rivian R2's release so heavily anticipated?
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Still, the web will likely remain heavily censored, experts warned; Tehran is reportedly using Chinese hardware to strengthen its censorship capabilities, further proof that Beijing is exporting the technology that powers its cutting-edge firewall.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
The Observer previously reported many communities planned to rely heavily on public complaints, voluntary compliance and observations from city staff already working in the field rather than deploying dedicated enforcement teams.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
Cite this Entry
“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavily. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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