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
Here, that body includes an array of West Coast jazz heavyweights, including Carlos Niño on percussion; Nate Mercereau on guitar, percussion, and wind; and Sam Reid and Jamael Dean, both on piano.
—
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
Rousey, 39, and her husband, former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne, have two daughters – a 4-year-old and the younger of whom was born in January 2025.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Frank’s Break Room band features a cast of Bay Area heavyweights like keyboardist Mike Blankenship, who’s a member of the Oakland collective Black London (which opened for Michael Franti last August at Stern Grove).
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
He is expected to face familiar heavyweights, some of whom are banding together to form an opposition coalition.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Junior heavyweight Noah Larios of Imperial won his third straight CIF title with a technical fall (15-0) over Liam Cavaness of Ramona.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
The tender drama enlists some heavyweights alongside newcomer Yugi Gomes as Gugu.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analysts noted that AI and amateur-generated content often lacks compelling narrative elements found in traditional media, leaving room for Hollywood heavyweights to continue courting audiences in a rapidly evolving landscape.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
By his fourth season in the NBA, the Suns had established themselves as heavyweights in the West.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
Rousey, 39, and her husband, former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne, have two daughters – a 4-year-old and the younger of whom was born in January 2025.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Frank’s Break Room band features a cast of Bay Area heavyweights like keyboardist Mike Blankenship, who’s a member of the Oakland collective Black London (which opened for Michael Franti last August at Stern Grove).
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
He is expected to face familiar heavyweights, some of whom are banding together to form an opposition coalition.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Junior heavyweight Noah Larios of Imperial won his third straight CIF title with a technical fall (15-0) over Liam Cavaness of Ramona.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
The tender drama enlists some heavyweights alongside newcomer Yugi Gomes as Gugu.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analysts noted that AI and amateur-generated content often lacks compelling narrative elements found in traditional media, leaving room for Hollywood heavyweights to continue courting audiences in a rapidly evolving landscape.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
By his fourth season in the NBA, the Suns had established themselves as heavyweights in the West.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 21 Feb. 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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