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.
If your lashes are too top-heavy, the mascara may weigh your lashes down and cause the opposite effect. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025 Cramer is referencing the idea that some investors worry the market has become too top-heavy and are looking for stock opportunities in potentially under-the-radar places. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025 The Raiders are a top-heavy team built to press the softest pressure points on Vrabel’s roster. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025 Repotting top-heavy and overgrown monsteras into larger and heavier containers can keep unwieldy plants from toppling over. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 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 18 Sep. 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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