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 Kospi was pressured by index heavyweight Samsung which fell over 9% even as the tech giant forecast a record profit for the second quarter. — Justina Lee,alex Harring, CNBC, 6 July 2026

The program matured from a half-hour broadcast to an hourlong ratings heavyweight during Tim Russert's 17 years as moderator. — Jay Stahl, USA Today, 1 July 2026

The startup is entering a field already dominated by heavyweights such as Huawei Technologies, but its timing is notable. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026

Robert Loggia was the grizzled Marine Corps heavyweight, General Grey — hardly a stretch for an actor long known for his tough-guy screen persona. — Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

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
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

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