superheavyweight

noun

su·​per·​hea·​vy·​weight ˌsü-pər-ˈhe-vē-ˌwāt How to pronounce superheavyweight (audio)
: an athlete (such as an Olympic weight lifter, boxer, or wrestler) who competes in the heaviest class or division

Examples of superheavyweight in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Joshua won Olympic gold in 2012 at superheavyweight, then won 22 straight pro bouts and claimed three of the four major sanctioning bodies’ titles — all before his U.S. debut against Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden in June 2019. Morgan Campbell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Klitschko won the Olympic gold for Ukraine in men's superheavyweight boxing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Chiara Vercellone, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2022 Torrez, who at 6-1 and 200 pounds is among the smallest boxers in the superheavyweight division at the Olympics, knows the drill. Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 31 July 2021 Hubbard competes in the superheavyweight division, the same division as San Francisco’s Kuinini Manumua, who will be competing for Tonga. Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 July 2021 But when New Zealand transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard made the Olympics in the superheavyweight category, there was some outrage that Hubbard’s inclusion came at the expense of an Oceania regional slot for Manumua. Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 July 2021 Event: Olympic Greco Roman superheavyweight gold medal match, Sydney, Australia, Sept. 27, 2000. Victor Mather, New York Times, 26 May 2016 Her team entered the superheavyweight bot, Jaws of Death, in last week’s tournament. Katie Dean, WIRED, 13 Nov. 2001 Would Teófilo Stevenson of Cuba, winner of three straight superheavyweight gold medals from 1972 to 1980, have been able to deal with Muhammad Ali at his peak? Victor Mather, New York Times, 1 June 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superheavyweight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of superheavyweight was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near superheavyweight

Cite this Entry

“Superheavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superheavyweight. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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