heavyweight
noun
heavy·weight
ˈhe-vē-ˌwāt 
often attributive
1
: one that is above average in weight
2
: one in the usually heaviest class of contestants: such as
a
: a boxer in an unlimited weight division compare light heavyweight
b
: a weight lifter weighing more than 198 pounds
3
: one that possesses great power, prominence, or stature
industry heavyweights
Examples of heavyweight in a Sentence
Their company is one of the industry's heavyweights.
a heavyweight in the U.S. Senate, he has a lot of clout in judicial confirmations
Recent Examples on the Web
The South Korean market had been on a tear last year, soaring more than 75%, and extended gains into the new year as well, with the Kospi hitting fresh highs on the back of semiconductor heavyweights that have seen their shares surge on strong memory chip demand.
—
Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
But for those willing to look beyond these heavyweights, Italy is home to some underrated gems that offer all the ingredients for a memorable city break – without the crowds.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 3 Mar. 2026
That Testa’s pin sparked the turnaround didn’t surprise senior heavyweight Joey Favia.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran's closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government's efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Still, Arafi isn’t known to be a political heavyweight and doesn’t have close ties to the security establishment.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government’s efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government's efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
The first 20 minutes featured a fight between heavyweights Ross Johnston and Luke Schenn as well as some stellar goaltending from Dostál during a Jets power play, including an athletic cross-crease stop on Connor.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
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Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
But for those willing to look beyond these heavyweights, Italy is home to some underrated gems that offer all the ingredients for a memorable city break – without the crowds.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 3 Mar. 2026
That Testa’s pin sparked the turnaround didn’t surprise senior heavyweight Joey Favia.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran's closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government's efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Still, Arafi isn’t known to be a political heavyweight and doesn’t have close ties to the security establishment.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government’s efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government's efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
The first 20 minutes featured a fight between heavyweights Ross Johnston and Luke Schenn as well as some stellar goaltending from Dostál during a Jets power play, including an athletic cross-crease stop on Connor.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heavyweight
noun
heavy·weight
ˈhev-ē-ˌwāt
1
: one above average in weight
2
: one in the heaviest class of contestants
especially
: a boxer in an unlimited weight division
3
: someone or something that is very important or powerful
a company that is an industry heavyweight
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