heavily

adverb

ˈhe-və-lē How to pronounce heavily (audio)
Definition of heavilynext
as in extremely
to a great degree heavily spiced sausage the family was heavily in debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 The offensive and defensive lines mostly won the battle in the trenches in a matchup that was supposed to lean heavily toward Oregon. — Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026 Other brands to look for are Carhartt and Dickies, as well as heavily branded Polo Ralph Lauren designs from the ‘90s. — Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 6 Sep. 2026 If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste’s active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing. — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026 Treasury yields have jumped in recent weeks, along with those of other heavily indebted countries like France. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavily
  1. extremely
  2. highly
  3. terribly
  4. very
  5. incredibly
  6. badly
  7. severely
  8. too
Adverb
  • Christner studies microorganisms that are able to survive in extremely low temperatures.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Deposition systems add extremely thin layers of material onto a silicon wafer.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of extremely
Adverb
  • Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that causes fever, respiratory symptoms and a characteristic rash.
    — JULHAS ALAM, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • While the airline and ground control argued over replacements, a group of eight highly experienced traveling grooms, including Vard, slipped into emergency mode.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of highly
Adverb
  • Though Lock and Fleury aren’t Darnold and Kubiak, Wednesday night’s game demonstrated that Seattle is not interested in making terribly many overarching changes from last year’s general offensive approach.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The other might be the terribly limited prospects of people like Miguelito living in Chivilcoy, a town outside Buenos Aires, where the two latter parts of the film is set.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of terribly
Adverb
  • The real-life aspect of the things that inspired me to write this book were so much grimmer than the book itself and not actually very funny.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • At the very least, a loss would have quelled any desire to inflict further consequences on Michigan.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of very
Adverb
  • But incredibly, that failure actually paved the way for his return to the competition last season, with Benfica hiring him just weeks later.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • This part — two brothers who respect each others’ artistic gifts (most of the time) but cannot stand each other personally — is not universal but incredibly specific.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of incredibly
Adverb
  • Even the odd chance to counter-attack went badly wrong — summed up by the sight of Ouattara almost knocking over team-mate Mikkel Damsgaard with a wayward pass.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • At the time, the Mets were playing particularly badly and making a lot of mistakes on the basepaths, so Ewing’s two failed attempts were somewhat magnified.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of badly
Adverb
  • The country, severely affected by gangs and a serious humanitarian crisis, has spent years trying to contain crime without much success.
    — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Corals – which have been severely bleached along the entire Tanzanian coastline, and largely wiped out around Zanzibar – are being replanted, to try to grow new populations.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Rafaela recaps many shows for us, particularly the Below Deck universe, and writes about movies too.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • There were several other plays with noteworthy designs, too, albeit with varying results.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of too

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Cite this Entry

“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavily. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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