Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for top-heavy

top-heavy

[ top-hev-ee ]

adjective

  1. having the top disproportionately heavy; liable to fall from too great weight above.
  2. relatively much heavier or larger above the center or waist than below:

    a top-heavy wrestler.

  3. Finance.
    1. having a financial structure overburdened with securities that have priority in the payment of dividends.


top-heavy

adjective

  1. unstable or unbalanced through being overloaded at the top
  2. finance (of an enterprise or its capital structure) characterized by or containing too much debt capital in relation to revenue or profit so that too little is left over for dividend distributions; overcapitalized
  3. (of a business enterprise) having too many executives


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˌtop-ˈheavily, adverb
  • ˌtop-ˈheaviness, noun

Discover More

Other Words From

  • top-heavi·ly adverb
  • top-heavi·ness noun

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of top-heavy1

First recorded in 1525–35; top 1 + heavy

Discover More

Example Sentences

Societies top-heavy with men without wives, and potentially without jobs, can lead to unrest and violence.

No mutual fund is going to be top heavy in one company because it goes against the idea of a mutual fund.

A talented musician, Shearer tours periodically, impersonating an over-the-top heavy-metal rocker in the Spinal Tap band.

The accident was caused by the Netherlands carriages being poorly built and top-heavy.

She found him somewhat ridiculous in his uniform, with his yachting-cap a trifle top-heavy for his slim skull.

Had the spire been added, the campanile would not have the rather top-heavy appearance it has when seen from some distance away.

The decorations made the canoe top-heavy and hard to guide, and they dared not paddle fast for fear of upsetting.

Top-heavy with the lion, he slid several yards down a steep place and fell over a precipice.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

firkin

[fur-kin ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


top-hat schemeTophet