adjective
-
big and strong
-
characterized by vigour or force
a hefty blow
-
large, bulky, or heavy
-
sizable; involving a large amount of money
a hefty bill
a hefty wage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hefty
Explanation
Something that's hefty is big and heavy. When you have to lug a hefty suitcase around, it helps if it has wheels. Hefty objects are large and bulky, and you can describe people as hefty when they're big and brawny and strong. When you buy a hefty bag of dog food for your hefty bull mastiff, you might want to ask a hefty young employee if she'll help you carry it to your car. Hefty comes from heft, which means both "to lift" and "weight or heaviness."
Vocabulary lists containing hefty
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Wednesday Wars
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Hello, Universe
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Every time a leader avoids a hard truth, sidesteps a real tension or makes disagreement feel risky, you pay a hefty price: conversational debt.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
West Ham recorded a loss of £104m in their latest accounts to 31 May 2025 and are heading for another hefty loss this year, according to sources.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
That is hefty for a company that doesn’t yet generate meaningful revenue, and it is comparable with two nuclear-energy players.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Samsung labour union members will begin voting Friday on a tentative wage deal that could deliver hefty bonuses to chip workers and helped avert a major strike at the South Korean tech giant this week.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
His nose is like a capsized ship, his mouth the size of three, his jaw and cheekbones hefty as armor, and his eyes are iridescent.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
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.
