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as in slow
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the study of history doesn't have to be all about dull heavy reading and the memorization of dates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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heavy

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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective heavy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of heavy are cumbersome, cumbrous, ponderous, and weighty. While all these words mean "having great weight," heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

How are the words cumbrous and cumbersome related as synonyms of heavy?

Both cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture
early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

When could ponderous be used to replace heavy?

The meanings of ponderous and heavy largely overlap; however, ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

Where would weighty be a reasonable alternative to heavy?

In some situations, the words weighty and heavy are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

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 heavy
Adjective
Instead of a heavy plate of meat and potatoes, the chicken is placed atop mixed greens and dressed with roasted yam and red potatoes. Jessica Fields, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025 Authorities issued a purple cyclone warning, their highest level, for the entirety of the island as the storm is packing a punch and bringing heavy rainfall, gusty winds and powerful waves to the territory. Robert Shackelford and Edward Szekeres, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
Not without consequence, of course, and not just from New York heavies—in his years of flouting the conventions of etiquette in the bush, around animals, whether while making images or just out wandering, Peter was not entirely unscathed. Chris Wallace, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2024 But at six-foot-two, with the big, square features and the theatrical presence of a human monolith, Chen looks as well as buzzes like the authority figures and heavies that are a star basso’s ticket to the really big time. airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for heavy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy
Adjective
  • Paying the high acquisition cost to get him would be a massive risk.
    Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
  • This is because doubling processing resources allows for a massive increase in memory bandwidth and capacity.
    Joe Osborne, PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The 2024-25 Bruins are slow, short on skill, inconsistent on defense and diminished in net.
    Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • It's been a slow ramp up for Alpha, with the rocket having launched just a single time in 2024, in July.
    Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Never greasy, never chalky, and always glowy, this formula works like a charm under makeup.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025
  • High-fat foods, especially fried or greasy options, take longer to digest and may cause discomfort, bloating, or acid reflux when lying down.
    Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a relaxed, easygoing day; however, communications are a bit hazy and could be easily misunderstood.
    Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2025
  • From that point on, her memory is hazy, according to the suit.
    Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike Western cleansers, which often rely on harsh surfactants or astringent ingredients, Korean ones maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and natural pH balance, says Cho.
    Denise Primbet, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Her lyric vocal writing contends with harsh reality, but her style is never far from profound rapture.
    Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The tool is designed for people who do intensive knowledge work in areas like finance, science, policy, and engineering.
    Gene Marks, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Because disability claims are done on paper and labor intensive, technology is not enough to solve the problem.
    Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The Aggies are in a serious rough patch, however, having lost their last three games in a row.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • This recall highlights a serious labeling loophole: How many products are incorrectly marketed as food but fail to meet safety standards?
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • On the other hand lies the more difficult but ultimately more promising path: repudiation of that post-2008 legacy and a conscientious return to a politics of the prudential center.
    Newsweek, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But their happy romance is soon demolished when Jenny reappears in their lives, thrusting all three into a difficult and messy journey towards true accountability and adulthood.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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