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
Over the course of the series, Hart was joined by a roster of comedy heavyweights in evaluating comics from across the country.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Index heavyweight Samsung Electronics reached a record high, rising over 14% to exceed $1 trillion in market capitalization.
—Hugh Leask,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Round 1 of the Cale Makar-Quinn Hughes heavyweight fight was absolute cinema, but the Colorado Avalanche won a key undercard bout during a frenetic Game 1 victory.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
Since 1998, the ISS has been the undisputed heavyweight of orbit.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
And though the Innere Stadt is where most tourists stay, Vienna isn’t rammed like Paris; there are plenty of Viennese out and about, especially at the neighborhood’s cultural heavyweights.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a new heavyweight ruling Pier 39 — and tourists can’t stop filming him.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
His founding of a law firm (now known as GrayRobinson) that has become one of the state’s legal and lobbying heavyweights.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Which explains, in part, why the Hurricanes dressed heavyweight Nic Deslauriers to play three whole minutes in Game 4 after Nikolaj Ehlers was sidelined by a lower-body injury.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Index heavyweight Samsung Electronics reached a record high, rising over 14% to exceed $1 trillion in market capitalization.
—Hugh Leask,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Round 1 of the Cale Makar-Quinn Hughes heavyweight fight was absolute cinema, but the Colorado Avalanche won a key undercard bout during a frenetic Game 1 victory.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
Since 1998, the ISS has been the undisputed heavyweight of orbit.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
And though the Innere Stadt is where most tourists stay, Vienna isn’t rammed like Paris; there are plenty of Viennese out and about, especially at the neighborhood’s cultural heavyweights.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a new heavyweight ruling Pier 39 — and tourists can’t stop filming him.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
His founding of a law firm (now known as GrayRobinson) that has become one of the state’s legal and lobbying heavyweights.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Which explains, in part, why the Hurricanes dressed heavyweight Nic Deslauriers to play three whole minutes in Game 4 after Nikolaj Ehlers was sidelined by a lower-body injury.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 8 May. 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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