heavily
HEH-vih-lee
Heavily (adv) means to a great degree or extent. Example: “It rained heavily all weekend.”
adv
1
To a great degree or extent.
"It rained heavily all weekend."
"The company relies heavily on tourism revenue."
"The shop was heavily damaged after the flood, but the owner reopened it."
2
With great weight or force.
"He leaned heavily on his cane as he walked."
"The rain fell heavily all night, drumming on the tin roof."
"She sat down heavily on the sofa after the long shift."
How to use heavily
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo a large extent, or with a lot of weight/force.
Common pairings
rely heavily on
rain heavily
breathe heavily
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more heavily
- Superlative
- most heavily
Fill the gap
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It rained _____ all weekend.
Etymology
Came from Middle English hevely, hevyliche, which developed from Old English hefiġlīċe (“heavily; grievously”); it is equivalent to heavy plus -ly.
Synonyms
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greatly
considerably
substantially
extensively
intensely
deeply
strongly
hard
heavy
intemperately
to a great extent
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for heavily
See all rhymes for heavily →Frequently asked questions
What does “heavily” mean?
The word “heavily” means to a great degree or extent. In plain terms, to a large extent, or with a lot of weight/force.
How do you pronounce “heavily”?
“Heavily” is pronounced HEH-vih-lee (/ˈhɛvɪli/ in IPA).
How do you use “heavily” in a sentence?
Here is “heavily” used in a sentence: “It rained heavily all weekend.”
What part of speech is “heavily”?
“Heavily” is an adverb.
Is “heavily” a common word?
“Heavily” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “heavily” have?
“Heavily” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to a great degree or extent.
What is the difference between heavily and heavy?
'Heavy' is an adjective that describes nouns — a heavy box. 'Heavily' is the adverb that describes verbs, actions, or degree — it rained heavily, she relied heavily on him. Use 'heavily' to say how much or to what degree something happens, not to describe how much a thing weighs.
What are common ways 'heavily' is used?
It often intensifies verbs and adjectives: raining heavily, breathing heavily, drinking heavily, heavily armed, heavily influenced, and relying heavily on someone. In each case it means 'to a great degree'. It commonly pairs with words about dependence, weather, quantity, and physical effort, adding force or intensity to them.
Does 'heavily' always relate to weight?
No. Although it comes from 'heavy', 'heavily' usually means 'to a great degree', not literal weight. 'He was heavily involved in the project' has nothing to do with mass. Only in phrases like 'she sat down heavily' does it still suggest weight, force, or a sense of heaviness.
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