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
The 52-year-old heavyweight was refused bail on Wednesday after being taken into custody the previous evening, according to a local report cited by ESPN.
—
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
The movie was made even stranger by then-Hollywood heavyweights like Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert Evans playing heightened versions of themselves — not to mention an unsettling performance by Harvey Weinstein as a private detective that has, to put it mildly, not aged well.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Those who join gain assistance in networking too, including introductions to Hollywood heavyweights.
—Matias Ocner, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
With former champion Alex Pereira vacating the belt to move up and challenge for the interim heavyweight crown at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Ulberg (14-1-0) earned his spot across Prochazka (32-5-1) in the main event of Saturday’s card.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Cooking for heavyweights such as Joseph Parker, who introduced him to Fury, is one challenge, but helping American former world welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr, who had to battle to make 147lbs, was a different project.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Sachs is joined in competition by a lot of international heavyweights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Boutros said the work didn’t end with the recent convictions of political heavyweights like Ald.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
In 2025 The Pitt won five Emmy Awards, including a surprise victory in best drama series, where the show beat such heavyweights as Apple TV+’s Severance and HBO’s The Last of Us and The White Lotus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
The movie was made even stranger by then-Hollywood heavyweights like Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert Evans playing heightened versions of themselves — not to mention an unsettling performance by Harvey Weinstein as a private detective that has, to put it mildly, not aged well.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Those who join gain assistance in networking too, including introductions to Hollywood heavyweights.
—Matias Ocner, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
With former champion Alex Pereira vacating the belt to move up and challenge for the interim heavyweight crown at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Ulberg (14-1-0) earned his spot across Prochazka (32-5-1) in the main event of Saturday’s card.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Cooking for heavyweights such as Joseph Parker, who introduced him to Fury, is one challenge, but helping American former world welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr, who had to battle to make 147lbs, was a different project.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Sachs is joined in competition by a lot of international heavyweights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Boutros said the work didn’t end with the recent convictions of political heavyweights like Ald.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
In 2025 The Pitt won five Emmy Awards, including a surprise victory in best drama series, where the show beat such heavyweights as Apple TV+’s Severance and HBO’s The Last of Us and The White Lotus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 16 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
