heavyweight

noun

heavy·​weight ˈhe-vē-ˌwāt How to pronounce heavyweight (audio)
Synonyms of heavyweightnext
often attributive
1
: one that is above average in weight
2
: one in the usually heaviest class of contestants: such as
a
: a boxer in an unlimited weight division compare light heavyweight
b
: a weight lifter weighing more than 198 pounds
3
: one that possesses great power, prominence, or stature
industry heavyweights

Synonyms of heavyweight

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Examples of heavyweight in a Sentence

Their company is one of the industry's heavyweights. a heavyweight in the U.S. Senate, he has a lot of clout in judicial confirmations
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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.
The new readers are made by Axon Enterprise, another heavyweight in the police surveillance market that until recently had largely avoided the intense public backlash against Flock Safety. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 In August 2025, Leading the Future launched with more than $100 million in commitments from tech heavyweights including Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, and Perplexity and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 And for smart-glasses heavyweight Meta, sales topped 7 million pairs last year, according to eyewear partner EssilorLuxottica. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 The two acting heavyweights had never worked together until these two shows. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavyweight

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavyweight was in 1857

Phrases Containing heavyweight

Rhymes for heavyweight

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Browse Nearby Words

heavy weather
heavyweight
heavy with
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Cite this Entry

“Heavyweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavyweight. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

heavyweight

noun
heavy·​weight ˈhev-ē-ˌwāt How to pronounce heavyweight (audio)
1
: one above average in weight
2
: one in the heaviest class of contestants
especially : a boxer in an unlimited weight division
3
: someone or something that is very important or powerful
a company that is an industry heavyweight

More from Merriam-Webster on heavyweight

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heavyweight

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