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
While many acknowledged some pockets of froth in unprofitable tech names, 85% of managers said valuations among the Magnificent Seven and other AI heavyweights are not overly inflated.
—
Lauren Chomiuk, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2025
The Ducks went toe-to-toe with a bona fide heavyweight, sending the Washington Capitals to the canvas, 4-3, in a shootout on Friday night at Honda Center.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
But many entertainment industry heavyweights have already heaped doubt on it.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
On Wednesday afternoon, the two heavyweights shared the pitch for the 2025-2026 season opener.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
National heavyweights clash in Tennessee House race Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election has attracted unprecedented national attention, with Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn locked in a surprisingly competitive race in the heavily conservative seat.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
The constitutional amendment, called Amendment 2 on the ballot, 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, 1 Dec. 2025
Julian Fellowes’s Downton-esque fantasia on American themes was always watchable, with its cast of theater heavyweights and a proclivity for treating the mundane as melodrama.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The city has not seen a true heavyweight storm in years.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Lauren Chomiuk, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2025
The Ducks went toe-to-toe with a bona fide heavyweight, sending the Washington Capitals to the canvas, 4-3, in a shootout on Friday night at Honda Center.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
But many entertainment industry heavyweights have already heaped doubt on it.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
On Wednesday afternoon, the two heavyweights shared the pitch for the 2025-2026 season opener.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
National heavyweights clash in Tennessee House race Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election has attracted unprecedented national attention, with Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn locked in a surprisingly competitive race in the heavily conservative seat.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
The constitutional amendment, called Amendment 2 on the ballot, 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, 1 Dec. 2025
Julian Fellowes’s Downton-esque fantasia on American themes was always watchable, with its cast of theater heavyweights and a proclivity for treating the mundane as melodrama.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The city has not seen a true heavyweight storm in years.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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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