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
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
Index heavyweight Samsung Electronics slipped more than 3%, while SK Hynix, which supplies memory chips to Nvidia, fell 5%.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
He was born into a boxing family and named after heavyweight boxer Rocky Marciano.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
Crypto companies are also exploring their own stablecoin plays, including the decentralized finance heavyweight Aave Labs and the Monad Foundation, which is behind a forthcoming blockchain.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
While this list includes heritage heavyweights like Burberry and Bottega Veneta, an honourable mention must also go to The Frankie Shop and Toteme, brands that sit within the contemporary bracket and have spearheaded many coat trends.
—Emma Spedding, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Live Super Bowl odds NFC heavyweights Week 10’s action closed with the Philadelphia Eagles gutting out a defensive monster against the Green Bay Packers in Monday Night Football.
—Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Six other watches from the Hollywood heavyweight’s personal collection will also go under the gavel, alongside two incredible pieces by legendary independent watchmaker Philippe Dufour.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Nov. 2025
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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
Index heavyweight Samsung Electronics slipped more than 3%, while SK Hynix, which supplies memory chips to Nvidia, fell 5%.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
He was born into a boxing family and named after heavyweight boxer Rocky Marciano.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
Crypto companies are also exploring their own stablecoin plays, including the decentralized finance heavyweight Aave Labs and the Monad Foundation, which is behind a forthcoming blockchain.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
While this list includes heritage heavyweights like Burberry and Bottega Veneta, an honourable mention must also go to The Frankie Shop and Toteme, brands that sit within the contemporary bracket and have spearheaded many coat trends.
—Emma Spedding, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Live Super Bowl odds NFC heavyweights Week 10’s action closed with the Philadelphia Eagles gutting out a defensive monster against the Green Bay Packers in Monday Night Football.
—Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Six other watches from the Hollywood heavyweight’s personal collection will also go under the gavel, alongside two incredible pieces by legendary independent watchmaker Philippe Dufour.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 20 Nov. 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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