HEAVILY Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

heavily

adverb

ˈhe-və-lē

Definition of heavily

as in extremely

to a great degree heavily spiced sausage the family was heavily in debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of heavily As ever, and despite playing as a No 10, Bellingham was heavily involved defensively. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 So does Kevin Reddington, the formidable defense attorney who is representing Clancy in her criminal trial, taking place in Plymouth, which is being live-streamed on the Internet and heavily covered on local news. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026 Meta is reliant on its algorithms to target advertising, which accounts for 98% of its revenue and is the key source of growth as the company heavily invests in AI. — Jeffrey Kopp, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026 How those operations are controlled will depend heavily on the procedures now being written. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavily

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavily

Adverb

The balance between efficiency and pleasantness in doing business seems extremely hard to achieve.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare, with only 180 confirmed between 1937 and 2025, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

Its work-in-progress was also one of five titles at the 2025 prestigious and highly selective Annecy Animation Showcase at the Cannes Festival’s Marché du Film.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Despite its highly specialized geometry, the Swoop felt like a fundamentally good bicycle.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of highly

Adverb

The Fed chairman, who took office in May for a four-year term, has so far shared very little commentary on the state of the economy or policy outlook.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
With Adults, being funny is what matters most, and in that regard, this is a very promising premiere.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

Iran’s currency – the rial – is incredibly weak and dropped to a record low of two million against the US dollar yesterday.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Instead of using the developed AI software to create the animation, the film is incredibly homespun.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of incredibly

Adverb

But the Vuelta a España’s hiring of a female influencer, whose social media content centers on flirting with male strangers, has backfired badly.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
The Iran-contra scandal in the mid-1980s badly tarnished Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy record.

— Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of badly

Adverb

But several of those affiliates have severely curtailed their operations since the federal funding was paused.

— CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Prior to those deaths, the US had not seen a measles death since 2015, when a woman with underlying conditions became severely ill.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

Her husband had one on, too, which made the twinning moment even cuter.

— Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
And while von Furstenberg gravitated to something more minimalist and streamlined for her look, there’s plenty of options out there for the more flamboyant sun-seekers, too.

— Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of too

Browse Nearby Words

heavies

heavily

heaviness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavily. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of heavily

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

illustrious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes