heavily

adverb

heavi·​ly ˈhe-və-lē How to pronounce heavily (audio)
Synonyms of heavilynext
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
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.
And, of course, the music industry was heavily represented with artists including Gwen Stefani, Fergie, the Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert, Camila Cabello, Benson Boone and more. Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 India relies heavily on foreign AI models and computing hardware, which makes its AI ambitions vulnerable to export control directives of other countries. Kai Nicol-Schwarz,priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 July 2026 In a 2001 interview with Q magazine, Ozzy recalled being heavily intoxicated during their nuptials. Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 The colonies, with a fast-growing population of some two million, paid virtually no taxes to the home country, while heavily taxed Britain paid for their defence. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavily

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavily was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavily. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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