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

Synonyms of heavyweight

• heavy
• big

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

This man just so happened to be Oscar-winning industry heavyweight Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List), who became — and remains — a mentor to Gervasi. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2026

Metalcore heavyweights Knocked Loose and rising rock/shoegaze interzoners Julie will be in the sidecar for the full trip. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 12 Nov. 2026

But what might not be known is the role another major sports heavyweight played in its inception. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026

The other five finance heavyweights in the group — BlackRock, Brookfield, Blackstone, KKR, and Apollo — either didn’t provide a comment when asked about Nvidia’s troubles, or pointed to Solomon’s remarks. — Ellen Dimauro, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heavyweight

• light heavyweight

Rhymes for heavyweight

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids 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