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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
At the same time crews were battling the blaze, overnight storms intensified, bringing heavy rains and wind along with lightning, officials said. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2025 There’s a heavy proportion of viewers that aren’t being captured by the metrics. Shane Young, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
The other students find the burden of imperfect English heavy. Jesse Green, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Another Hollywood heavy was Marlon Brando, who gave Jackson acting advice. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heavy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy
Adjective
  • There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.
    The Dial, The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
  • May is the first month where the adjustments are seeing massive swings.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The building Celine now occupies what used to be a slow pop-up for Dior and Loro Piana.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Samsung is neck and neck with Google, but its updates are often slower and more limited on older phones.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Oily skin may also have large pores and feel slick or greasy, especially in the T-zone (forehead and nose).
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Jan. 2025
  • These are a little greasier, a little less glamorous.
    Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The Japanese photographer has produced a series of hazy images that play with perspective and reflections to showcase multiple angles of the women’s collection designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, which is set to be unveiled on April 15 in the garden of Tō-ji Temple in Kyoto.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Even sketchier are characters like Isaac and Hanrahan, ruthless military types who never really transcend that hazy description despite being played by formidable actors Jeffrey Wright and Alanna Ubach, respectively.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Hope reigns even in this harsh political climate we Americans are now experiencing.
    Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Even if investors are slightly more confident this week, after Trump backed off most of his harshest tariff rates, the changes in people’s life-style habits serve as their own kind of affective barometer.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Since early March, Israel has cut Gaza off from the supply of humanitarian aid including food, with aid agencies warning that the situation for the strip’s 2 million civilians has deteriorated dangerously, only worsened by intensive Israeli military operations.
    Irene Nasser, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Now, more than six months after first complaining of stomach pain, Butlin started her first three-month course of intensive chemotherapy on April 8.
    Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In total, 36 people were hospitalized, and 7 people developed Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious kidney disorder.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • These behaviors can lead to serious side effects, from bloating and nausea all the way up to heart attack and stroke, Pasricha says.
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).
    Christian Lewis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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