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
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
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Recent Examples of heavy
Adjective
To get a closer look at these details, paleontologists relied on neutron imaging to see the lighter elements present in the fossils as well as X-ray imaging to look at the heavier ones.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
3 Sep. 2026 The tribe, which requested a disaster declaration separately, was hit with flash flooding June 2-4 after a heavy rain and hail storm.—
John Hult,
States Newsroom,
3 Sep. 2026
Noun
Geoffrey Lechantoux is responsible for the French-seafood-heavy menu.—
Nancy Kane,
Curbed,
25 June 2026 Most standard blends are nitrogen-heavy, which encourages leaf growth instead of fruit.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavy
The serums that made the cut had elegant textures that absorbed easily without feeling sticky, greasy, or heavy.
—
Sheryl George,
Glamour,
2 Sep. 2026
Formulated with antioxidant vitamin E to help defend against surface free radicals, this product locks in moisture to hydrate the skin without leaving a greasy residue and dries completely matte upon application.
The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.
—
Katia Riddle,
NPR,
29 Aug. 2026
Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2026
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