heavy

1 of 3

adjective

ˈhe-vē 

heavier; heaviest

1

a

: having great weight

also : characterized by mass or weight

too heavy to lift

b

: having a high specific gravity : having great weight in proportion to bulk

Lead and gold are heavy metals.

c(1)

of an isotope : having or being atoms of greater than normal mass for that element

heavy carbons

(2)

of a chemical compound : containing heavy isotopes

heavy ammonia

2

: difficult to bear

paid a heavy price for their mistakes

specifically : causing or characterized by severe pain or suffering

a heavy sorrow

3

: of weighty import : serious

a heavy conversation

heavy consequences

specifically, humorous : of special romantic importance

has a heavy date tonight

4

: characterized by depth or intensity : profound

a heavy silence

5

a

: borne down by something oppressive : burdened

returned with heavy spirit

b

: pregnant

especially : approaching parturition

She is heavy with child.

c

: involving strenuous physical effort

does all the heavy work

6

a

: slow or dull from loss of vitality or resiliency : sluggish

a tired heavy step

b

: lacking sparkle or vivacity : drab

a heavy writing style

c

: lacking mirth or gaiety : cheerless

d

: characterized by declining prices

The market is heavy.

7

: dulled with weariness : drowsy

eyes were growing heavy

8

: greater in quantity or quality than the average of its kind or class: such as

a

: of unusually large size or amount

a heavy turnout

suffered heavy casualties

wearing heavy makeup

—sometimes used with on

a movie that is heavy on action [=has a lot of action]

b

: of great force

heavy seas

came under heavy attack

a heavy blow

a heavy knock on the door

c

: great in effect or degree

the heavy favorite to win

a heavy sleeper

d

: threatening to rain or snow

a heavy sky

heavy clouds

e(1)

: impeding motion

heavy traffic

(2)

: full of clay and inclined to hold water

heavy soil

f

: coming as if from a depth : loud

heavy breathing

g

: thick, dense

a heavy beard

a heavy growth of timber

heavy syrup

h

: oppressive, overwhelming

heavy perfume

heavy weather

rule with a heavy hand

i

: steep, acute

on a heavy grade

j

: laborious, difficult

heavy going

k

: immoderate

a heavy smoker

l

: more powerful than usual for its kind

a heavy cavalry

a heavy cruiser

m

: of large capacity or output

a heavy pump

9

a

: very rich and hard to digest

heavy desserts

b

: not properly raised or leavened

heavy bread

10

: producing goods (such as coal, steel, or chemicals) used in the production of other goods

heavy industry

11

a

: having stress (see stress entry 1 sense 4a)

a heavy rhythm

—used especially of syllables in accentual verse

b

: being the strongest degree of stress in speech

the heavy stress on the first syllable of basketball

12

: relating to theatrical parts of a grave or somber nature

playing heavy roles

13

: possessing a high degree or a great deal of something specified : long

heavy on ideas

14

: important, prominent

a heavy politician

15

of an accent : very noticeable

heaviness noun

heavy

2 of 3

adverb

: to a great or overwhelming degree

weighed heavy on her mind

: with or as if with great weight : in a heavy manner : heavily

Clouds hung heavy in the sky.

heavy

3 of 3

noun

plural heavies

1

: heavyweight sense 2

2

a

: a theatrical role of a dignified or somber character

also : an actor playing such a role

b

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero : villain sense 1

c

: one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty : villain sense 3

d

: someone or something influential, serious, or important

industry heavies

Synonyms of heavy

Adjective

• massive

Noun

• brute
• villain
• monster
• savage
• criminal
• beast
• devil

Choose the Right Synonym for heavy

heavy, weighty, ponderous, cumbrous, cumbersome mean having great weight.

heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture

early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

Examples of heavy in a Sentence

Adjective

“Is that box too heavy for you to lift?” “No, it's not very heavy.”

The truck was carrying a heavy load.

The man was six feet tall with a heavy build.

Turnout for the election is expected to be heavy.

We got caught in heavy traffic.

Heavy rains caused flooding in the area.

She was wearing sunglasses and heavy makeup.

The storm caused heavy damage to the building.

The company is facing heavy losses this quarter.

a day of heavy fighting

Adverb

The smoke hung heavy in the air.

Noun

He played the heavy in film after film.

The conference will be attended by several media heavies.

They have become one of the industry heavies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

During heavy rainfall, there is a risk of flooding, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas. —Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026

Despite the heavy foot traffic from the lobby into the restaurant, the staff keeps everything moving smoothly so that guests don't feel overwhelmed. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026

Adverb

By 2003, they’d been nominated for a Juno Award and signed with the heavy-hitting American punk record label Epitaph. —Hazlitt, 11 Mar. 2026

Street Mob also hosts Don’t Fall in Love Fest in San Bernardino, which has included lineups that blend heavy-hitting Mexican acts like Banda MS and Los Tucanes de Tijuana and rap stars like Future and Lil Baby. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026

Noun

Specifically, Alioto sought to reimagine the magazine as a many-pronged vehicle for promising tastes—like those of regular contributors and critical heavies, Grace Byron and Greta Rainbow. —Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026

Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters). —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Adverb

Middle English hevy, from Old English hefig; akin to Old High German hebīc heavy, Old English hebban to lift — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heavy

• go heavy on
• hangs/lies heavy on one's hands
• hard/heavy going
• heavy artillery
• heavy bag
• heavy chain
• heavy cream
• heavy date
• heavy-duty
• heavy-footed
• heavy going
• heavy goods vehicle
• heavy hand
• heavy-handed
• heavy heart
• heavy hitter
• heavy hydrogen
• heavy industry
• heavy lifting
• heavy metal
• heavy on
• heavy on one's hands
• heavy sleeper
• heavy snow
• heavy snowfall
• heavy water
• heavy with
• hot and heavy
• make heavy weather of
• place heavy demands on
• top-heavy
• with a heavy hand

Rhymes for heavy

• bevy
• chevy
• levee
• levy
• replevy

Kids Definition

heavy

1 of 3 adjective

ˈhev-ē 

heavier; heaviest

1

a

: having great weight or greater than usual weight

b

: weighty in proportion to bulk : having a high density

gold is a heavy metal

c

: having or being atoms of greater than normal mass

heavy isotopes

2

: very hard to deal with : grievous

a heavy sorrow

3

: of weighty importance : serious

words heavy with meaning

4

: lacking life, gaiety, or charm : dull

5

: drowsy sense 1

6

: greater in volume, force, or power than the average

heavy traffic

heavy seas

heavy infantry

7

: overcast entry 2

a heavy sky

8

: laborious sense 2, labored

heavy breathing

9

: using or consuming much

a heavy eater

10

: rich and not easily digested

heavy desserts

11

: producing goods (as coal or steel) used in the production of other goods

heavy industry

heavily

ˈhev-ə-lē

adverb

heaviness

ˈhev-ē-nəs

noun

heavy

2 of 3 adverb

: in a heavy manner : heavily

time hung heavy on their hands

heavy

3 of 3 noun

plural heavies

1

: heavyweight sense 2

2

a

: a theatrical role or an actor representing a dignified or impressive person

b

: villain sense 2