weighty
gb/wˈeɪti/ us/wˈeɪti/
B2
English
~ 9100
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
B2
property
1
serious and very important
very serious and important, and needing careful thought or carrying much responsibility
Usage pattern:
a weighty [issue/decision/responsibility/argument]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "weighty" for everyday serious things where native speakers would normally say "serious" (e.g., *a weighty test*). "Weighty" is mostly used for topics, decisions, and responsibilities that feel especially important or have big effects. It is also uncommon to use "weighty" to describe a person’s personality; "serious" or "solemn" are more natural there.
Synonyms
serious (More general and common; can describe mood or tone as well as importance, and is less formal than "weighty".)
|
momentous (Stronger and more formal; often used for historic or life-changing events.)
|
grave (Adds a sense of worry or danger as well as seriousness.)
Antonyms
trivial (Emphasizes that something is small and not important at all.)
|
light (In this context means not serious; often used for tone or subject matter.)
Collocations
weighty issue
|weighty matter
|weighty decision
|weighty responsibility
|weighty argument
|weighty questions
Themes
politics
|work
|law
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|business
Examples
- The committee spent hours debating the weighty issue of data privacy.
- Choosing whether to shut down the factory was a weighty decision for the directors.
- He spoke with a weighty authority that made everyone in the room listen.
- The report raises several weighty questions about government spending.
- She feels a weighty responsibility to protect her younger siblings.
Learner examples
- Climate change is a weighty issue for all countries.
- Starting a war is a weighty decision for any leader.
- He carries a weighty responsibility at his new job.
- The judge made a weighty statement before giving the final ruling.
adjective
C1
property
2
physically heavy; hard to lift
very heavy and not easy to lift or move
Usage pattern:
a weighty [object/book/package]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse "weighty" instead of the much more natural "heavy" for physical objects. "Weighty" is correct but sounds more formal or literary; in everyday speech, "heavy box" or "heavy book" is usually preferred.
Synonyms
heavy (The common everyday word; less formal and used in more situations than "weighty".)
|
hefty (Informal; can suggest both physical weight and size or impact.)
Antonyms
light (Describes something that does not weigh very much and is easy to lift or move.)
Collocations
weighty volume
|weighty tome
|weighty package
|weighty bundle
Themes
objects
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He dropped the weighty box on the table with a loud thud.
- The scholar carried a weighty tome under her arm.
- They struggled to move the weighty metal frame up the stairs.
- The suitcase was far too weighty to take as hand luggage.
- She passed me a weighty bundle of documents to review.
Learner examples
- This is a weighty bag, so please lift it carefully.
- He put a weighty book down on the desk.
- The metal chair is very weighty and hard to move.
- She carried a weighty box into the room.
Grammar
Dictionary form
weighty
IPA
GB/wˈeɪti/
US/wˈeɪti/
Syllables & stress
weighty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (weighty)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: weighty
- Comparative: weightier
- Superlative: weightiest
Word family
Forms
weightier
adjective
weightiest
adjective
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
weightless
adjective
Advanced or less common
weightiness
noun
weightily
adverb
weightlessness
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.