Synonyms of top-heavynext
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.
Washington, which had the NHL’s 12th-best record, missed the playoffs in the top-heavy Eastern Conference. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026 This is very much a top-heavy boom. Conor Sen, Mercury News, 23 May 2026 For nearly two minutes, Carlile and Doran add layer after layer, building tension until the loop becomes too top-heavy and finally buckles under the pressure. Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026 Though he’s poised to become CEO at the Atlas advertising agency where his mentor Fred (Charles Dance) is set to retire, the shareholders believe the company’s management is too top-heavy with men, and insist that a woman be considered for the role. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 22 May 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Top-heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-heavy. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

top-heavy

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

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