heavy
HEHV-ee
Heavy (adj) means having great weight; hard to lift or carry. Example: “This box is so heavy that I need help to lift it.”
adj
1
Having great weight; hard to lift or carry.
"This box is so heavy that I need help to lift it."
"Wet sand is much heavier than dry sand when you carry it in a bucket."
"The suitcase was too heavy to carry up the stairs."
2
Great in amount, degree, or intensity.
"A heavy fall of snow closed the school for two days."
"There was heavy traffic on the motorway all morning."
"She's been under a lot of heavy pressure at work."
3
Serious or somber in tone.
"The film was a bit heavy for a family night in."
"Their conversation turned heavy when they started talking about loss."
"That's pretty heavy news for a Monday morning."
noun
1
Informal: a villain, or a bodyguard/enforcer.
"In the old film, the heavy stood silently beside the boss's desk."
"The nightclub owner hired a heavy to keep trouble away from the door."
"The gang sent one of their heavies to collect the debt."
How to use heavy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWeighing a lot — and by extension, intense, serious, or (as a noun) a thug or enforcer.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
heavy traffic
heavy rain
heavy burden
go heavy on
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Word forms
- Plural
- heavies, heavys
- Third person singular
- heavies
- Past tense
- heavied
- Comparative
- heavier, more heavy
- Superlative
- heaviest, most heavy
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
This box is so _____ that I need help to lift it.
Etymology
From Old English hefiġ, related to "heave" — something that requires effort to lift.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for heavy
See all rhymes for heavy →Frequently asked questions
What does “heavy” mean?
The word “heavy” means having great weight; hard to lift or carry. In plain terms, weighing a lot — and by extension, intense, serious, or (as a noun) a thug or enforcer.
How do you pronounce “heavy”?
“Heavy” is pronounced HEHV-ee (/ˈhɛv.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “heavy” in a sentence?
Here is “heavy” used in a sentence: “The suitcase was too heavy to carry up the stairs.”
What is another word for “heavy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “heavy” include sweer and swear.
What is the opposite of “heavy”?
The opposite of “heavy” — its antonyms — is light.
What part of speech is “heavy”?
Depending on how it is used, “heavy” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “heavy” come from?
The word “heavy” comes from Old English. From Old English hefiġ, related to "heave" — something that requires effort to lift.
Is “heavy” a common word?
“Heavy” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between heavy and heaven?
Despite looking alike, they are unrelated. Heavy is an adjective meaning something has great weight and is hard to lift — a heavy box. Heaven is a noun meaning the sky or a paradise in many religions — a star in the heavens. Only the first four letters are shared.
What is the opposite of heavy?
The direct opposite is light, meaning easy to lift or carry. Depending on context, weightless, featherlight, or airy also work. Beyond physical weight, heavy has figurative opposites too: a light mood, a gentle rain, or a mild workload all contrast with heavy ones.
Can something be heavy without being large?
Yes. Weight and size are different things. A small lump of lead or gold can be far heavier than a large box of feathers, because heaviness depends on density — how much mass is packed into a given space — not on how big something looks.
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