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
The regulations were also heavily overhauled going into this season, ranging from the engines and aerodynamics to the car’s size and weight.
—
Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The order comes as the FBI raid has been heavily scrutinized, especially since the target of the investigation is still unclear.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 9 Feb. 2026
Key Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was arrested by heavily armed men on Sunday night, his supporters said, just hours after he had been released from a jail where he was held as a political prisoner.
—Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Israel seized the Palestinian side in May 2024, though traffic through the crossing was heavily restricted even before that.
—Samy Magdy, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
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.
Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The order comes as the FBI raid has been heavily scrutinized, especially since the target of the investigation is still unclear.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 9 Feb. 2026
Key Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was arrested by heavily armed men on Sunday night, his supporters said, just hours after he had been released from a jail where he was held as a political prisoner.
—Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Israel seized the Palestinian side in May 2024, though traffic through the crossing was heavily restricted even before that.
—Samy Magdy, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
