Definition of weightnext
1
as in heaviness
the amount that something weighs because of a back condition, I'm not allowed to lift anything with a weight of over 10 pounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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weight

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun weight differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of weight are consequence, importance, moment, and significance. While all these words mean "a quality or aspect having great worth or significance," weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

When might consequence be a better fit than weight?

The synonyms consequence and weight are sometimes interchangeable, but consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

When is it sensible to use importance instead of weight?

In some situations, the words importance and weight are roughly equivalent. However, importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone.

a region with no cities of importance

Where would moment be a reasonable alternative to weight?

While in some cases nearly identical to weight, moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

When can significance be used instead of weight?

The words significance and weight can be used in similar contexts, but significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized.

the treaty's significance

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 weight
Noun
The weight of the occasion lands without the price tag of a traditional luxury purchase. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026 In Tinuiti’s 2026 Apparel Marketing Study, researchers said weight-loss drugs are reshaping consumer apparel spending and shopping habits. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
But weighting choices vary by pollster and offer no assurance of accuracy. — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 Any interviewer with distance from Jay, or perhaps refined skills as a journalist, may have approached the tracks more directly, and some topics here feel like they’re weighted with unturned stones. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weight
Noun
  • Given the lefty-heaviness of the Yankees’ lineup, Stanton’s right-handed bat could factor in as a late-inning weapon.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • While a label like ‘woman’ has always felt stifling and strange, ‘daughter’ doesn’t carry that heaviness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The project highlights the growing importance of the defence industrial base in determining how quickly military modernization programmes can deliver results.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Qatar has been building an international energy portfolio for more than a decade, and those assets are taking on more importance as the country’s exports have dwindled during the Iran war.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This shortage is especially concerning given Arkansas' diabetes burden.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But prices edged lower Friday, after the Group of Seven nations announced the release of diesel and crude stocks to ease the burden on consumers.
    — Azhar Sukri,Terri Cullen, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The gift targets kids ages 11 to 17 in lower-income areas, with extra emphasis on those near the couple’s central Texas home.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That emphasis on choosing what remains outside the frame informed his view that virtual reality cannot replace cinema.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The third, Surrender, is a massage performed in water, in which the buoyancy and warmth allow the body to completely relax and let go.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The traditional Pueblo architecture has touches of Native American and Western influences, along with European and Mexican motifs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Scotlandville will no longer be represented by a native son, someone who people believed instinctively understood their challenges and offered a direct line to power and influence in the nation’s capital.
    — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • People with gum disease, cavities and missing teeth face elevated risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In one study involving teens with obesity, for instance, O’Sullivan and his colleagues found that participants who ingested fecal transplant capsules loaded with healthy gut bacteria had better metabolic health years later than those who didn’t.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Drones can be seen near the scene of the strike as responders load the injured onto stretchers and into emergency vehicles.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Florida’s defense, which allowed 211 yards on the ground to Missouri’s backup running back last week, will need to find a new spine (and a better way to load the box).
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Weight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weight. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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