heavy metal

noun

1

: a metal of high specific gravity

2

: energetic and highly amplified electronic rock music having a hard beat

Borrowing elements of everything from grunge to progressive rock, from gospel to heavy metal …

—David Okamoto

Examples of heavy metal in a Sentence

He listens to heavy metal.

lead, gold, and other heavy metals

Recent Examples on the Web

One notorious case involved the English heavy metal group Judas Priest. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

According to Sharon, Osbourne’s medical team advised him against doing the concert but the heavy metal legend insisted. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026

The band has released 28 studio albums, exploring everything from psychedelic rock, prog rock and heavy metal to jazz fusion, techno and electronic. — Xander Zellner, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2026

According to the American Lung Association, the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes contains fine chemical particles, heavy metals such as nickel and lead, and organic compounds. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for heavy metal

• diacetyl
• acetyl
• bimetal
• gunmetal
• nonmetal
• resettle
• teakettle
• unsettle
• betel
• cetyl
• kettle
• mettle