top-heavy

adjective

Definition of top-heavynext
as in bulky

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 top-heavy The commission also recommended, as an alternative, shortening the arch itself while making the gilded statue even taller—a compromise that would leave the arch squat beneath a top-heavy sculpture. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 For travelers, those top-heavy numbers present an opportunity, said Leigh Barnes, president of the Americas for tour company Intrepid Travel. — Jen Rose Smith, CNN Money, 10 July 2026 Support top-heavy plants by wrapping a slit pool noodle around stems or pairing it with a stake for stability. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 The 1968 lineup was incredibly top-heavy with peak Carl Yastrzemski and a 35-homer season by Ken Harrelson, and the 2014 club featured David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and rookie Mookie Betts, even though many of the heroes of the 2013 World Series team wound up taking big steps back. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for top-heavy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for top-heavy
  1. bulky
  2. overweight
  3. voluminous
  4. massy
  5. outsize
  6. substantial
Adjective
  • Strong-smelling, messy, or bulky foods can create problems for fellow passengers even when they are permitted through security.
    — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Smythson’s backgammon set swaps the traditional bulky case for a slim roll made from the British brand’s signature cross-grain calf leather.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of bulky
Adjective
  • Wells has an overweight rating on JPMorgan and recently hiked its price target on the stock to $390 from $375, implying more than 7% upside from Friday's close.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Halligan said breeds with short snouts like Bulldogs, Bullmastiffs and Pekingese pups are at greater risk, so are overweight animals and dogs with dark fur.
    — Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of overweight
Adjective
  • Allen paired her silver heels with a formfitting party dress featuring spaghetti straps and a voluminous bow at the back.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • That growing self-possession becomes visual in the film’s party scene, where Miriam arrives in a voluminous yellow-green dress that immediately separates her from the room around her.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of voluminous
Adjective
  • While the attempts to create massy cinema land fine for most parts, Dhawan does not quite emerge as the larger-than-life south-Indian hero set to rule the audience merely with his presence.
    — Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • All objects that have mass interact with other massy objects—that’s called gravitational interaction.
    — Wired, Wired, 6 Nov. 2019
Definition of massy
Adjective
  • CFOs are often expected to assume an outsized mandate that extends well beyond traditional finance, encompassing both business and technological challenges and opportunities, according to Russell Reynolds Associates.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The stunning indictment of Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota last week marked another illustrative example of the position’s outsized power, according to one top lawmaker.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of outsize
Adjective
  • Its compact design aims to provide substantial carrying capacity without relying on conventional vehicles.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations often spend substantial energy articulating ambitious outcomes while devoting less attention to the routines that make those outcomes possible.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of substantial

Browse Nearby Words

top hats
top-heavy
Tophet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/top-heavy. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All