heavily

adverb

heavi·​ly ˈhe-və-lē How to pronounce heavily (audio)
1
: to a great degree : severely
2
: slowly and laboriously : dully
3
archaic : with sorrow : grievously
4
: in a heavy manner

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
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.
More than just a photogenic, exciting player Fellow players and others heavily involved in the game point to Bouchard’s influence on the sport. Andy Frye, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 While national organizations like NPR and PBS generate their own revenue and receive only a small share of direct federal funding, their local member stations rely heavily on CPB grants. Nik Popli, Time, 1 Aug. 2025 The key to smooth, easy travel days is preparedness, and while society has undoubtedly come to rely heavily on technology over the last several years, there are some remnants of the past that are still integral to your travels. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2025 However, reports also indicate Netflix has heavily invested in Markle’s As Ever line, so she’s expected to be in business with the streamer for years to come. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for heavily

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavily was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Heavily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavily. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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