1
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part
2
: having too high a proportion of administrators
a top-heavy bureaucracy
3
: oversupplied with one element at the expense of others : lacking balance
a novel top-heavy with description

Examples of top-heavy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Overgrown roots spilling over the pot and a top-heavy appearance are signs your orchid is ready for a bigger pot. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025 One effect of this narrowing, top-heavy leadership is it’s made last year’s popular call to shift into equal-weight index strategies has been a flop. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025 The free-agent market is top-heavy with potential options — Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker and Trent Grisham — all set to receive hefty contracts. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025 The Avs have arguably the league’s best forward (Nathan MacKinnon) and best defenseman (Cale Makar), not to mention a top-heavy supporting cast. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for top-heavy

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-heavy was circa 1531

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-heavy. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

top-heavy

adjective
ˈtäp-ˌhev-ē
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part

More from Merriam-Webster on top-heavy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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