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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
Higgins says that cracking—also known as growth cracks or splitting—typically occurs after a dry spell, followed by heavy rain or over-watering. Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2025 And this summer, their Prairie Village basement flooded three times because nothing redirected the heavy rainwater away from the homes. Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2025
Noun
Class struggle is reflected in the way that the back-alley heavy, Atticus Hawk, dismisses the ivory-tower eccentricity of the occult specialist Scholar Vitali. The New York Times, New York Times, 30 May 2025 Gabriel Byrne’s new heavy, the Chancellor, hisses to Castañeda’s doomed daddy as Eve watches in horror. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for heavy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy
Adjective
  • Then, as is the nature of the business, the parent company of Fueled By Ramen went through a massive shakeup.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
  • After China fired ballistic missiles at American bases in Japan, the fighting exploded, with the U.S. launching massive strikes against the mainland and Japanese jets attacking Chinese ships.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Progress toward the opening of the micro-home village has been slow following a ceremonial groundbreaking held in July 2023.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 30 July 2025
  • As elevated mortgage rates continue to put a damper on the housing market locally and nationally, rising inventory, slower sales and lower prices have made for more favorable conditions for potential buyers in the Austin-area housing market.
    Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • An effective cleanser takes away that slick, greasy feeling, but won’t leave your skin feeling stripped of moisture.
    Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 16 July 2025
  • But the fear of getting greasy yellow butter topping on Krypto’s white felt makes this, to me, less functional as a popcorn bucket.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Binoculars show it as a hazy spot of light, but its full splendor is revealed only through a large telescope.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 28 July 2025
  • The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed hazy skies and the smell of smoke across the region, attributing the conditions to smoke trapped in a sinking air mass above the Northeast.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
  • Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Critics question whether a battery swap network—capital intensive, dependent on fleet adoption, and distributed across so many different markets—can scale profitably.
    Clay Chandler, Fortune, 19 July 2025
  • An intensive moisturiser that delivers maximum hydration, Revision’s DermProtect Barrier Defense™ also replenishes natural lipids, and enhances moisture retention.
    Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • This surge in extreme heat drives up energy demand and poses serious health risks to vulnerable populations.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Surgeries or procedures to prevent aneurysm rupture also carry serious risks.
    Ruth Jessen Hickman, Health, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • Some students may face family challenges that affect their ability to get to school, and some changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, such as its move to online instead of paper form, could be difficult for students who only access computers at school, Maldonado said.
    Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Diseases that are difficult to manage without early intervention, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer, place a significant burden on health care budgets and patient quality of life.
    Kim Praitano, Sun Sentinel, 29 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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