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

The major campaign supporting the amendment, called Winning for Missouri Education, was backed by every major professional sports team in Missouri and raised millions of dollars, including from gambling heavyweights FanDuel and DraftKings. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 24 Nov. 2025

Despite topping expectations, the AI heavyweight fell sharply during the week, underscoring the broader pressure on tech valuations. —Denitsa Tsekova, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025

She’s also collaborated with other industry heavyweights like Missy Elliott. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025

Asia-Pacific markets fell Friday, led by tech heavyweight SoftBank, which plunged more than 10%. —Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025

Backed by Bollywood heavyweight Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Homebound premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, before its theatrical release on September 26, 2025. —Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 21 Nov. 2025

Last year, Joshua took on another boxing novice in former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, a man known for his toughness and destructive power in the octagon. —Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025

That move quickly yielded a number of high-profile scoops and exclusives, giving existing staff a boost of morale and signaling that the company will be a news heavyweight going into the midterm and presidential elections. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 17 Nov. 2025

The day wraps up with NFC heavyweights in the Lions and Eagles facing off on Sunday Night Football. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025

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
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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