hefty

adjective

ˈhef-tē 

heftier; heftiest

1

: quite heavy

a hefty book

2

a

: marked by bigness, bulk, and usually strength

a hefty football player

b

: powerful, mighty

gave the door a hefty shove

c

: impressively large : substantial

hefty portions

a hefty price

heftily

ˈhef-tə-lē 

adverb

heftiness

ˈhef-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of hefty

• massive
• heavy

Examples of hefty in a Sentence

He was a tall, hefty man.

Her boss gave her a hefty raise.

a hefty dose of irony

He gave the door a hefty kick.

Recent Examples on the Web

The hefty pay raise led Purdy to start his real estate portfolio. — Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 28 Oct. 2026

These come in a hefty 2-pound bag and are mostly whole pieces (compared to smaller bags more prone to nut breakage). — Jenn De La Vega, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

McCarthy has worn a hefty amount of eyeblack throughout his career, even dating back to his high school playing days at IMG Academy, and did the same throughout his three seasons playing at Michigan. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026

The combined entity carries a hefty debt load of near $90 billion in a climate of rising interest rates and Ellison has committed to at least $2 billion in cost savings, a chunk of which will come from layoffs. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hefty

• carries a hefty price tag
• hefty price tag

Rhymes for hefty

• lefty

Kids Definition

hefty

adjective

ˈhef-tē 

heftier; heftiest

: heavy entry 1 sense 1a, bulky

heftily

-tə-lē 

adverb

heftiness

-tē-nəs 

noun