1
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part
2
: having too high a proportion of administrators
a top-heavy bureaucracy
3
: oversupplied with one element at the expense of others : lacking balance
a novel top-heavy with description

Examples of top-heavy in a Sentence

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.
When their workforce seems a bit top-heavy, cutting middle management is considered an ideal way to save money. Shannon Gabriel, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024 But top-heavy rosters rarely hold up throughout a grueling season. Christopher Kamrani, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024 Their reasoning is that declining fertility produces a top-heavy age structure. Emily Klancher Merchant, The Conversation, 9 Aug. 2024 The starting pitching market is very top-heavy in this offseason's free agency class. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for top-heavy 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-heavy was circa 1531

Dictionary Entries Near top-heavy

Cite this Entry

“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-heavy. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

top-heavy

adjective
ˈtäp-ˌhev-ē
: having the top part too heavy for the lower part

More from Merriam-Webster on top-heavy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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