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

But taken together, the records illustrate how major corporate leaders, organized labor, donors and political heavyweights have enjoyed direct access to the governor during a year of consequential policy turns — even as some of the most outspoken public-interest advocates were left out of the room. —Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

At 21, Forté received a Grammy nomination for his work on the record and toured with the hip-hop heavyweights. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026

Zhao's feature also counts Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes as producers. —Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026

In some ways, the Skubal case is but a preliminary to the main event — the heavyweight bout looming between the league and union in collective-bargaining negotiations. —Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Favorable government policy has prompted heavyweights like Chicago’s CME Group and Cboe Global Markets to join the bandwagon. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026

Banks, transportation stocks, hotels and small-caps are cooking, helping to offset the cooling-off in several of the tech heavyweights that had large1ly led the S & P’s three-year, 80% advance. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026

In fact, Dover Harbor is the last heavyweight Pullman car to operate on Amtrak rails in its original configuration. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026

New Hampshire emerged as the undisputed heavyweight in state-level health and wellness for the fourth consecutive year. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 8 Jan. 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
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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