heavy lifting

American  

[hev-ee lif-ting] / ˈhɛv i ˈlɪf tɪŋ /

noun

Informal.

1. hard work.

   A team of researchers did the heavy lifting for the author.

---

Etymology

Origin of heavy lifting

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

While tech—especially the Magnificent Seven—is doing the heavy lifting, earnings growth is broadening.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has outperformed its equal-weighted sibling — a sign that Big Tech stocks are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

When it comes to smog, let’s not congratulate ourselves too much; it was technology that did the heavy lifting, not demanding much in the way of sacrifice or even change in our behavior.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

But the key is the free energy you obtain by letting heat from the air outside do much of the heavy lifting in boiling the refrigerant when it is cold.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

If you prepared a baklava with love, it could do the heavy lifting of an apology.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman