heavyweight
Americanadjective
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of more than average weight or thickness.
a coat of heavyweight material.
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noting or pertaining to a boxer, wrestler, etc., of the heaviest competitive class, especially a professional boxer weighing more than 175 pounds (79.4 kilograms).
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of or relating to the weight class or division of such boxers.
a heavyweight bout.
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(of a riding horse, especially a hunter) able to carry up to 205 pounds (93 kilograms).
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designating a person, company, nation, or other entity that is extremely powerful, influential, or important.
a team of heavyweight lawyers.
noun
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heavyweights
plural
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a person of more than average weight.
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a heavyweight boxer or wrestler.
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a person, company, nation, or other entity that is powerful and influential.
a price hike initiated by the heavyweights in the industry.
noun
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a person or thing that is heavier than average
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a professional boxer weighing more than 175 pounds (79 kg)
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an amateur boxer weighing more than 81 kg (179 pounds)
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( as modifier )
the world heavyweight championship
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a wrestler in a similar weight category (usually over 214 pounds (97 kg))
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informal an important or highly influential person
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heavyweight
Explanation
A heavyweight is someone or something that is impressive in relative size or importance. In sports like boxing and wrestling, a heavyweight is a contestant in the group that includes the largest, heaviest competitors. Heavyweight, a compound word formed by joining heavy and weight, was first used in the late 1700s to categorize long-distance race horses who could carry heavier-than-average riders and gear. The sports meaning soon followed, with boxers sorted into lightweight, middleweight, or heavyweight divisions to ensure, for example, that a 225-pound athlete wouldn't be matched against a 130-pound opponent. Figuratively, this word describes an impressive or prominent figure — you might say that a powerful senior lawmaker is a heavyweight in the Senate.
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.
See Examples For:
The Chinese tech heavyweight said Sunday that it entered into a placement agreement for 710 million new shares that will be offered to investors outside the U.S. at 112.70 Hong Kong dollars each.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
In 2013, she became engaged to Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko; in December 2014, she gave birth to their daughter, Kaya.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
He posed for selfies with former British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who was also one of many guests invited by Kinahan to attend his lavish wedding in Dubai’s luxury Burj Al Arab in 2017.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
WBO champion Daniel Dubois defeated Fabio Wardley in May to become a two-time heavyweight world champion, and Warren confirmed the pair will contest a rematch in October.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
He is a heavyweight with a welterweight’s spontaneous agility, but his eyes are hooded and lazy.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
The latest bounce has been helped by some bargain-buying and government measures to stabilise retail investor volatility, as well as strong earnings reports from market heavyweights including Amazon, Microsoft and more recently CoreWeave.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Italian heavyweights Juventus and AC Milan, plus Galatasaray, are all understood to be keen on the Portugal playmaker, who has a £57m release clause available to overseas clubs.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Lawrence clocked early on that Williams had the chops to hold her own against heavyweights like Harrison Ford.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The index heavyweights, mostly in banking, telecommunications and real-estate sectors, have large domestic and regional exposure and offer minimal exports to the U.S.,
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
There had been a grand theatrical season and a whole crop of great young light heavyweights.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
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.
