hefty

adjective

ˈhef-tē How to pronounce hefty (audio)
heftier; heftiest
Synonyms of hefty
1
: quite heavy
a hefty book
2
a
: marked by bigness, bulk, and usually strength
a hefty football player
b
: powerful, mighty
gave the door a hefty shove
c
: impressively large : substantial
hefty portions
a hefty price
heftily
ˈhef-tə-lē How to pronounce hefty (audio)
adverb
heftiness
ˈhef-tē-nəs How to pronounce hefty (audio)
noun

Synonyms of hefty

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Examples of hefty in a Sentence

He was a tall, hefty man. Her boss gave her a hefty raise. a hefty dose of irony He gave the door a hefty kick.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Schools who choose to leave the ACC before that have to pay a hefty exit fee. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Consider that the typical farm in Kansas spent about $31,000 on diesel last year – a hefty cost that could double this year, according to Gregg Ibendahl, associate professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 At that moment, many investors were relieved to avoid a costly bidding war and liked the hefty breakup fee. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026 Despite the weight reduction on the XPress Lite, structural integrity remains uncompromised, supporting a maximum rider capacity of a hefty 275 lb (125 kg). — New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hefty

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hefty was in 1863

Phrases Containing hefty

Rhymes for hefty

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Browse Nearby Words

heftiness
hefty
hefty price tag
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Cite this Entry

“Hefty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hefty. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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