1
: to a great degree : severely
The building was heavily damaged.
The decision weighs heavily on my mind. [=is very difficult and worrisome]
2
: slowly and laboriously : dully
sighed heavily
3
archaic
: with sorrow : grievously
4
: in a heavy manner
sat down heavily
Examples of heavily in a Sentence
He relies heavily on his wife for advice.
These artists borrow heavily from Picasso.
Our flowers were heavily damaged by a late spring frost.
She drank and smoked heavily for years.
He sat down heavily on the couch.
He was leaning heavily on the table.
She sighed heavily then said “Okay, I'll do it.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Automakers are still investing heavily in electric cars, better batteries and faster charging networks.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Axelrod and his wife, Susan, are heavily involved in Chicago's Catholic community.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
Investment in renewable power and battery storage — designed to save energy when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing — is expected to increase in nations heavily dependent on energy imports, including European countries, according to the credit rating firm Fitch Ratings.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Plus, Monfort has a close relationship with baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and plans to be heavily involved in labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Axelrod and his wife, Susan, are heavily involved in Chicago's Catholic community.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
Investment in renewable power and battery storage — designed to save energy when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing — is expected to increase in nations heavily dependent on energy imports, including European countries, according to the credit rating firm Fitch Ratings.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Plus, Monfort has a close relationship with baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and plans to be heavily involved in labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
Cite this Entry
“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavily. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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