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:
Now the Wall Street heavyweight is lining up behind the Lone Star State’s effort to displace Delaware as the corporate capital of America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Her most recent interviewees have included music heavyweight Paul McCartney, Swedish pop star Zara Larsson and US television host Conan O'Brien.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The football team, once a heavyweight, has had more losing seasons than winning ones since the turn of the century.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Today we are playing Manchester City, the nouveau riche heavyweight in the EPL.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
It's somewhat surprising that I'm a serious contender for the title of world heavyweight champion, not because I'm slow or weak but because I'm a relative newcomer to the sport.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
This year there are fewer obvious awards heavyweights in the mix, at a time when prestige and independent films have become harder to finance, distribute and sell to audiences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Flyweights and heavyweights have similar footing, and the funds must be rebalanced quarterly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
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
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.
