1
: to a great degree : severely
The building was heavily damaged.
The decision weighs heavily on my mind. [=is very difficult and worrisome]
2
: slowly and laboriously : dully
sighed heavily
3
archaic
: with sorrow : grievously
4
: in a heavy manner
sat down heavily
Examples of heavily in a Sentence
He relies heavily on his wife for advice.
These artists borrow heavily from Picasso.
Our flowers were heavily damaged by a late spring frost.
She drank and smoked heavily for years.
He sat down heavily on the couch.
He was leaning heavily on the table.
She sighed heavily then said “Okay, I'll do it.”
Recent Examples on the Web
The Spurs are heavily favored in that series.
—
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 2 May 2026
The new map singles out a heavily Black south Florida district that had been represented by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick before her recent resignation during a House ethics inquiry into her use of campaign funds.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
Films like this one, heavily indebted to Irish folk horror, rarely wrap up cleanly.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 1 May 2026
That shortage is forcing livestock owners to rely more heavily on hay, which is becoming harder to find and more expensive.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
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Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 2 May 2026
The new map singles out a heavily Black south Florida district that had been represented by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick before her recent resignation during a House ethics inquiry into her use of campaign funds.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
Films like this one, heavily indebted to Irish folk horror, rarely wrap up cleanly.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 1 May 2026
That shortage is forcing livestock owners to rely more heavily on hay, which is becoming harder to find and more expensive.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavily
Cite this Entry
“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavily. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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