heavy
gb/hˈɛvi/ us/hˈɛvi/
A1
English
~ 1000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Weighing a lot
Weighing a lot and hard to carry or move.
Usage pattern:
[something] is heavy
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'heavy' with 'big'. Something can be big but not heavy, or small but heavy.
Synonyms
weighty (More formal; often used in figurative contexts too.)
Antonyms
light (Weighing little; easy to lift or carry.)
Collocations
heavy load
|heavy bag
|heavy box
|heavy furniture
Themes
daily life
|measurement
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This suitcase is too heavy for me to carry.
- The box was heavy, so he asked for help.
- She struggled to lift the heavy chair.
- The rain made her coat heavy and wet.
Learner examples
- The bag is heavy.
- This chair is heavy.
- My dog is heavy.
- The stone is heavy.
adjective
A2
property
2
Intense or strong in amount
Very strong or large in amount.
Usage pattern:
heavy [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'heavy' meaning intense with physical weight. For example, 'heavy traffic' does not mean traffic weighs a lot.
Synonyms
intense (Applies broadly to strength of force or feeling; more formal.)
Antonyms
light (Mild or not intense.)
Collocations
heavy rain
|heavy traffic
|heavy snow
|heavy workload
Themes
weather
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|nature
Examples
- We had heavy rain all night.
- Traffic was heavy during rush hour.
- She has a heavy workload this week.
- There was heavy snow in the mountains.
Learner examples
- The city has heavy traffic.
- It will be heavy rain tomorrow.
- I have a heavy day at work.
- The road has heavy snow.
adjective
B1
property
3
Emotionally serious or difficult
Serious and often making people feel sad or worried.
Usage pattern:
heavy [topic/conversation]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use 'heavy' literally here; clarify that it refers to feelings, not weight.
Synonyms
serious (Neutral term for important and not lighthearted.)
Antonyms
lighthearted (Cheerful and carefree in tone.)
Collocations
heavy silence
|heavy heart
|heavy atmosphere
Themes
emotions
|communication
Examples
- There was a heavy silence after the bad news.
- He spoke with a heavy heart about leaving home.
- The movie deals with some heavy themes.
Learner examples
- He has a heavy heart today.
- The talk was heavy and sad.
- It was a heavy time for her.
- The film has some heavy parts.
adjective
A2
property
4
Thick or dense in texture or consistency
Thick or full, making it feel solid or hard to eat/drink.
Usage pattern:
heavy [food/drink/material]
Synonyms
dense (Focuses on compactness of material; less common for food metaphorically.)
Antonyms
light (Easy to digest; not thick or dense.)
Collocations
heavy meal
|heavy fabric
|heavy sauce
Themes
food
|materials
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- That was a heavy meal for lunch.
- She wore a heavy wool coat.
- The cake was too heavy and sweet.
Learner examples
- The soup is very heavy.
- I don't want a heavy lunch.
- This coat is heavy wool.
- That cake is heavy.
adjective
B1
property
5
Requiring much effort or labor
Needing a lot of work or energy to do.
Usage pattern:
heavy [work/task/responsibility]
Synonyms
demanding (Focuses on the challenge level rather than physical weight.)
Antonyms
easygoing (Requiring little effort; relaxed.)
Collocations
heavy lifting
|heavy responsibility
Themes
work
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He was tired after a day of heavy lifting.
- Managing the project is a heavy responsibility.
- They were engaged in heavy negotiations all week.
Learner examples
- This job is heavy work.
- It is a heavy job for one person.
- He has a heavy role in the company.
- We have heavy work today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
heavy
IPA
GB/hˈɛvi/
US/hˈɛvi/
Syllables & stress
heavy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (heavy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: heavy
- Comparative: heavier
- Superlative: heaviest
Word family
Expressions
heavy duty
1/hˈɛvi dˈuti/
fixed phrase
Made for hard or tough use
Strong and made to be used for hard work or long time without breaking.
Examples
- These are heavy duty gloves for construction work.
- We need a heavy duty truck for this load.
heavy heart
1/hˈɛvi hˈɑɹt/
idiom
Feeling very sad or upset
Feeling very sad inside.
Examples
- She left her hometown with a heavy heart.
- It was with a heavy heart that he said goodbye.
heavy lifting
1/hˈɛvi lˈɪftɪŋ/
idiom
Doing the hardest part of a task
Doing the hardest work in a job or project.
Examples
- She did most of the heavy lifting on the project.
- Let him handle the heavy lifting this time.
heavy rain
1/hˈɛvi ɹˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
Rain falling with great intensity
Rain that falls strongly and in large amounts.
Examples
- Heavy rain caused flooding in the city.
- We had to cancel the picnic because of the heavy rain.
heavy traffic
1/hˈɛvi tɹˈæfɪk/
fixed phrase
A lot of cars causing congestion
When many cars are on the road and moving slowly.
Examples
- We were late because of heavy traffic.
- Heavy traffic is common during rush hour.