heavy-duty
Americanadjective
-
providing an unusual amount of power, durability, etc..
heavy-duty machinery; heavy-duty shoes.
-
very important, impressive, or serious.
heavy-duty involvement; heavy-duty questions.
noun
-
made to withstand hard wear, bad weather, etc
heavy-duty uniforms
-
subject to high import or export taxes
Etymology
Origin of heavy-duty
First recorded in 1910–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Diesel, which yields more energy than gasoline, is the fuel of choice for heavy-duty vehicles such as commercial trucks, school buses and farm machinery.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Globally, battery-electric vehicles accounted for just over 10% of the 2.4 million heavy-duty rigs made last year, according to S&P Global Mobility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Zero-emission vehicles made up around 23% of new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales in the state in 2024, according to a release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026
Reports say the group has held talks with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defence Systems about making components there for the Iron Dome air defence system, including heavy-duty trucks and electricity generators but not the projectiles themselves.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
Jacket, pants, cap, boots, and bulletproof vest, like the kind the police have, but more heavy-duty and with shiny black plates across the front, like something Batman might wear.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
