Heavily vs. Heavy — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 8, 2024
Heavily describes the manner of something being done, while heavy is an adjective describing an object's weight.
Difference Between Heavily and Heavy
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Heavily is an adverb that modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, indicating a large degree or intensity of action. For instance, it can describe the way it rains when a storm produces a lot of rainfall quickly. Whereas heavy, an adjective, describes a characteristic of nouns, such as objects or concepts, indicating they have a great weight or density. A heavy object is difficult to lift because of its mass.
While heavily might be used to describe actions or states in a metaphorical sense, such as being heavily involved in a project, heavy directly describes the tangible or intangible nature of items, like a heavy burden of responsibility. Heavily adds depth to descriptions of how actions are performed or the extent of conditions, whereas heavy quantifies the magnitude or impact of a noun's characteristic.
In writing and speech, heavily can enhance a verb to convey the severity or intensity of an action, such as breathing heavily after a run, emphasizing the effect of the action. On the other hand, heavy might be used to describe the physical demand or emotional weight of something, such as a heavy box or a heavy heart, focusing on the inherent quality of the noun.
Heavily is versatile and can apply to a wide range of contexts, from physical actions to emotional states, always modifying how something is done or felt. In contrast, heavy is more specific to the characteristic it describes, whether it be physical weight, emotional depth, or severity of a situation.
Though both heavily and heavy relate to the idea of a great amount or degree, their usage depends on the part of speech they are modifying. Heavily modifies how things are done, showing the manner or degree, while heavy describes the inherent qualities of the nouns it modifies.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Adverb
Adjective
Function
Modifies verbs, adjectives, other adverbs
Describes nouns
Examples
Heavily raining, heavily involved
Heavy rain, heavy burden
Contexts
Describes manner or intensity
Describes weight, importance, or difficulty
Usage
To indicate a large degree or intensity
To describe the characteristic of being of great weight or dense
Compare with Definitions
Heavily
To a great degree or in large amounts.
It rained heavily throughout the night.
Heavy
Having a great weight; difficult to lift or move.
The heavy box was difficult to carry upstairs.
Heavily
In a manner that produces a great effect.
The news impacted him heavily.
Heavy
Burdened with problems or difficulties.
He felt heavy with worry about the future.
Heavily
Severely or seriously.
The company is heavily invested in renewable energy.
Heavy
Of great density; thick or substantial.
The fog was so heavy that visibility was near zero.
Heavily
With much weight or burden.
He was heavily laden with groceries.
Heavy
Severe or intense.
The debate has generated heavy criticism.
Heavily
With a lot of force or effort.
She breathed heavily after climbing the stairs.
Heavy
Profound or substantial in impact or quality.
The novel left a heavy impression on its readers.
Heavily
With a great weight or burden
Heavily laden.
Heavy
Of great weight; difficult to lift or move
A heavy and bulky load
The pan was too heavy for me to carry
Heavily
Very slowly and with difficulty; laboriously
Walking heavily through the snow.
Heavy
Of great density; thick or substantial
Heavy horn-rimmed glasses
Heavy grey clouds
Heavily
Greatly or severely
Heavily in debt.
Heavy
Of more than the usual size, amount, or intensity
A heavy cold
I fell into a heavy sleep
The traffic was heavy and I was delayed
Heavily
In a heavy manner.
She fell heavily into bed.
He clomped heavily up the stairs in his boots.
The great clod trod heavily on my toes!
Heavy
Striking or falling with force
A heavy blow to the head
We had heavy overnight rain
Heavily
With a great weight.
Heavily burdened
Heavy
Needing much physical effort
Heavy work like repairing pathways
Heavily
To a considerable degree, to a great extent.
He relied heavily on the data collected by the others.
He drank heavily.
Heavily in debt;
Heavily tattooed
Heavily pregnant
Heavy
Very important or serious
A heavy discussion
Heavily
In a manner designed for heavy duty.
Heavily armed soldiers;
Heavily armoured tanks;
Heavily reinforced walls
Heavy
A thing, such as a vehicle, that is large or heavy of its kind.
Heavily
So as to be thick or heavy.
Heavily built young men;
His heavily muscled arms
Heavy
Strong beer, especially bitter
A pint of heavy
Heavily
In a laboured manner.
He breathed heavily
Heavy
Heavily
Heavy-laden
Heavily
In a heavy manner; with great weight; as, to bear heavily on a thing; to be heavily loaded.
Heavily interested in those schemes of emigration.
Heavy
Having relatively great weight
A heavy load.
Heavily
As if burdened with a great weight; slowly and laboriously; with difficulty; hence, in a slow, difficult, or suffering manner; sorrowfully.
And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily.
Why looks your grace so heavily to-day?
Heavy
Having relatively high density; having a high specific gravity.
Heavily
Greatly; intensely; as, heavily involved in a plot; heavily invested in real estate.
Heavy
Large, as in number or quantity
A heavy turnout.
Heavy casualties.
Heavily
In large quantity; as, it rained heavily.
Heavy
Large in yield or output
Heavy rainfall.
Heavily
To a considerable degree;
He relied heavily on others' data
Heavy
Of great intensity
Heavy activity.
Heavy fighting.
Heavily
In a heavy-footed manner;
He walked heavily up the three flights to his room
Heavy
Having great power or force
A heavy punch.
Heavily
With great force;
She hit her arm heavily against the wall
Heavy
Violent; rough
Heavy seas.
Heavily
In a manner designed for heavy duty;
A heavily constructed car
Heavily armed
Heavy
Equipped with massive armaments and weapons
A heavy cruiser.
Heavy infantry.
Heavily
Slowly as if burdened by much weight;
Time hung heavy on their hands
Heavy
Large enough to fire powerful shells
Heavy guns.
Heavily
Indulging excessively;
He drank heavily
Heavy
Indulging to a great degree
A heavy drinker.
Heavy
Involved or participating on a large scale
A heavy investor.
Heavy
Of great import or seriousness; grave
Heavy matters of state.
Heavy
Having considerable thickness
A heavy coat.
Heavy
Broad or coarse
Drew the face with heavy lines.
Heavy
Dense; thick
A heavy fog.
Heavy
Slow to dissipate; strong
"There was a heavy fragrance of flowers and lemon trees" (Mario Puzo).
Heavy
Too dense or rich to digest easily
A heavy dessert.
Heavy
Insufficiently leavened
Heavy bread.
Heavy
Full of clay and readily saturated
Heavy soil.
Heavy
Weighed down; burdened
Trees heavy with plums.
Heavy
Emotionally weighed down; despondent
A heavy heart.
Heavy
Marked by or exhibiting weariness
Heavy lids.
Heavy
Sad or painful
Heavy news.
Heavy
Hard to do or accomplish; arduous
Heavy going.
Heavy reading.
Heavy
Not easily borne; oppressive
Heavy taxes.
Heavy
Lacking vitality; deficient in vivacity or grace
A heavy gait.
Heavy humor.
Heavy
Sharply inclined; steep
A heavy grade.
Heavy
Having a large capacity or designed for rough work
A heavy truck.
Heavy
Of, relating to, or involving the large-scale production of basic products, such as steel
Heavy industry.
Heavy
Of or relating to a serious dramatic role.
Heavy
(Physics) Of or relating to an isotope with an atomic mass greater than the average mass of that element.
Heavy
Loud; sonorous
A heavy sound.
Heavy breathing.
Heavy
(Linguistics) Of, relating to, or being a syllable ending in a long vowel or in a vowel plus two consonants.
Heavy
Of great significance or profundity.
Heavy
Very popular or important
A rock star who is really heavy.
Heavy
Heavily
The snow is falling heavier tonight than last night.
Heavy
A serious or tragic role in a play.
Heavy
An actor playing such a role.
Heavy
(Slang) A villain in a story or play.
Heavy
(Slang) A mobster.
Heavy
(Slang) One that is very important or influential
A media heavy.
Heavy
(of a physical object) Having great weight.
Heavy
(of a topic) Serious, somber.
Heavy
Not easy to bear; burdensome; oppressive.
Heavy yokes, expenses, undertakings, trials, news, etc.
Heavy
Good.
This film is heavy.
Heavy
Profound.
The Moody Blues are, like, heavy.
Heavy
(of a rate of flow) High, great.
Heavy
(slang) Armed.
Come heavy, or not at all.
Heavy
(of music) Loud, distorted, or intense.
Metal is heavier than rock.
Heavy
(of weather) Hot and humid.
Heavy
(of a person) Doing the specified activity more intensely than most other people.
He was a heavy sleeper, a heavy eater and a heavy smoker – certainly not an ideal husband.
Heavy
(of the eyes) With eyelids difficult to keep open due to tiredness.
Heavy
(of food) High in fat or protein; difficult to digest.
Cheese-stuffed sausage is too heavy to eat before exercising.
Heavy
Of great force, power, or intensity; deep or intense.
It was a heavy storm;
A heavy slumber in bed;
A heavy punch
Heavy
Laden to a great extent.
His eyes were heavy with sleep;
She was heavy with child
Heavy
Laden with that which is weighty; encumbered; burdened; bowed down, either with an actual burden, or with grief, pain, disappointment, etc.
Heavy
Slow; sluggish; inactive; or lifeless, dull, inanimate, stupid.
A heavy gait, looks, manners, style, etc.
A heavy writer or book
Heavy
Impeding motion; cloggy; clayey.
A heavy road; a heavy soil
Heavy
Not raised or leavened.
Heavy bread
Heavy
(of wines or spirits) Having much body or strength.
Heavy
(obsolete) With child; pregnant.
Heavy
(physics) Containing one or more isotopes that are heavier than the normal one.
Heavy
(petroleum) Having high viscosity.
Heavy
(finance) Of a market: in which the price of shares is declining.
Heavy
Heavily-armed.
Heavy
Having a relatively high takeoff weight and payload,
Heavy
Especially, having a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 300,000 tons, as almost all widebodies do, generating high wake turbulence.
Heavy
Having the heaves.
A heavy horse
Heavy
In a heavy manner; weightily; heavily; gravely.
Heavy laden with their sins
Heavy
To a great degree; greatly.
Heavy
Very
Heavy
(slang) A villain or bad guy; the one responsible for evil or aggressive acts.
With his wrinkled, uneven face, the actor always seemed to play the heavy in films.
Heavy
(slang) A doorman, bouncer or bodyguard.
A fight started outside the bar but the heavies came out and stopped it.
Heavy
A newspaper of the quality press.
Heavy
(aviation) A relatively large multi-engined aircraft.
Heavy
(often with "up") To make heavier.
They piled their goods on the donkey's back, heavying up an already backbreaking load.
Heavy
To sadden. en
Heavy
To use power or wealth to exert influence on, e.g., governments or corporations; to pressure.
The union was well known for the methods it used to heavy many businesses.
Heavy
Having the heaves.
Heavy
Heaved or lifted with labor; not light; weighty; ponderous; as, a heavy stone; hence, sometimes, large in extent, quantity, or effects; as, a heavy fall of rain or snow; a heavy failure; heavy business transactions, etc.; often implying strength; as, a heavy barrier; also, difficult to move; as, a heavy draught.
Heavy
Not easy to bear; burdensome; oppressive; hard to endure or accomplish; hence, grievous, afflictive; as, heavy yokes, expenses, undertakings, trials, news, etc.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod.
The king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make.
Sent hither to impart the heavy news.
Trust him not in matter of heavy consequence.
Heavy
Laden with that which is weighty; encumbered; burdened; bowed down, either with an actual burden, or with care, grief, pain, disappointment.
The heavy [sorrowing] nobles all in council were.
A light wife doth make a heavy husband.
Heavy
Slow; sluggish; inactive; or lifeless, dull, inanimate, stupid; as, a heavy gait, looks, manners, style, and the like; a heavy writer or book.
Whilst the heavy plowman snores.
Of a heavy, dull, degenerate mind.
Neither [is] his ear heavy, that it can not hear.
Heavy
Strong; violent; forcible; as, a heavy sea, storm, cannonade, and the like.
Heavy
Loud; deep; - said of sound; as, heavy thunder.
But, hark! that heavy sound breaks in once more.
Heavy
Dark with clouds, or ready to rain; gloomy; - said of the sky.
Heavy
Impeding motion; cloggy; clayey; - said of earth; as, a heavy road, soil, and the like.
Heavy
Not raised or made light; as, heavy bread.
Heavy
Not agreeable to, or suitable for, the stomach; not easily digested; - said of food.
Heavy
Having much body or strength; - said of wines, or other liquors.
Heavy
With child; pregnant.
Heavy
Heavily; - sometimes used in composition; as, heavy-laden.
Heavy
To make heavy.
Heavy
An actor who plays villainous roles
Heavy
A serious (or tragic) role in a play
Heavy
Of comparatively great physical weight or density;
A heavy load
Lead is a heavy metal
Heavy mahogony furniture
Heavy
Unusually great in degree or quantity or number;
Heavy taxes
A heavy fine
Heavy casualties
Heavy losses
Heavy rain
Heavy traffic
Heavy
Of the military or industry; using (or being) the heaviest and most powerful armaments or weapons or equipment;
Heavy artillery
Heavy infantry
A heavy cruiser
Heavy guns
Heavy industry involves large-scale production of basic products (such as steel) used by other industries
Heavy
Having or suggesting a viscous consistency;
Heavy cream
Heavy
Wide from side to side;
A heavy black mark
Heavy
Marked by great psychological weight; weighted down especially with sadness or troubles or weariness;
A heavy heart
A heavy schedule
Heavy news
A heavy silence
Heavy eyelids
Heavy
Usually describes a large person who is fat but has a large frame to carry it
Heavy
(used of soil) compact and fine-grained;
The clayey soil was heavy and easily saturated
Heavy
Darkened by clouds;
A heavy sky
Heavy
Of great intensity or power or force;
A heavy blow
The fighting was heavy
Heavy seas
Heavy
(physics, chemistry) being or containing an isotope with greater than average atomic mass or weight;
Heavy hydrogen
Heavy water
Heavy
(of an actor or role) being or playing the villain;
Iago is the heavy role in `Othello'
Heavy
Permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter;
Dense smoke
Heavy fog
Impenetrable gloom
Heavy
Made of fabric having considerable thickness;
A heavy coat
Heavy
Of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately;
Does a lot of hard drinking
A heavy drinker
Heavy
Prodigious;
Big spender
Big eater
Heavy investor
Heavy
Used of syllables or musical beats
Heavy
Full and loud and deep;
Heavy sounds
A herald chosen for his sonorous voice
Heavy
Of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought;
Grave responsibilities
Faced a grave decision in a time of crisis
A grievous fault
Heavy matters of state
The weighty matters to be discussed at the peace conference
Heavy
Slow and laborious because of weight;
The heavy tread of tired troops
Moved with a lumbering sag-bellied trot
Ponderous prehistoric beasts
A ponderous yawn
Heavy
Large and powerful; especially designed for heavy loads or rough work;
A heavy truck
Heavy machinery
Heavy
Dense or inadequately leavened and hence likely to cause distress in the alimentary canal;
A heavy pudding
Heavy
Sharply inclined;
A heavy grade
Heavy
Full of; bearing great weight;
Trees heavy with fruit
Vines weighed down with grapes
Heavy
Requiring or showing effort;
Heavy breathing
The subject made for labored reading
Heavy
Characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort;
Worked their arduous way up the mining valley
A grueling campaign
Hard labor
Heavy work
Heavy going
Spent many laborious hours on the project
Set a punishing pace
Heavy
Lacking lightness or liveliness;
Heavy humor
A leaden conversation
Heavy
(of sleep) deep and complete;
A heavy sleep
Fell into a profound sleep
A sound sleeper
Deep wakeless sleep
Heavy
In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child
Heavy
Slowly as if burdened by much weight;
Time hung heavy on their hands
Common Curiosities
What does it mean when something is described as heavy?
Describing something as heavy implies it has a great weight, density, or emotional or situational burden.
What types of words does heavily modify?
Heavily modifies verbs to indicate the manner of an action, adjectives to enhance their degree, and other adverbs to intensify their meaning.
Can heavy and heavily be used interchangeably?
No, because they serve different grammatical functions. Heavy modifies nouns, and heavily modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
What is the difference between heavily and heavy?
Heavily is an adverb that describes the manner or degree of an action, while heavy is an adjective that describes the characteristic of having great weight or impact.
Can heavy be used in a non-physical sense?
Yes, heavy can describe non-physical attributes, such as a heavy heart (emotional burden) or heavy criticism (intense scrutiny).
Is heavily always related to negative contexts?
Not always. While it often describes intense or severe actions, it can be neutral or positive depending on context, such as heavily decorated.
How does the use of heavily or heavy affect descriptive writing?
Using heavily or heavy can enhance descriptive writing by adding depth to actions and qualities, making descriptions more vivid and impactful.
How does heavily impact the meaning of a sentence?
Heavily adds intensity or depth to an action, indicating a great degree or effort involved in the manner described.
Can heavy imply something other than physical weight?
Yes, heavy can also imply seriousness, intensity, or a significant impact in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
In what contexts would you use heavy instead of heavily?
Use heavy when describing the inherent characteristics of nouns, such as their weight, density, or emotional impact, and heavily when modifying the manner or intensity of actions or states.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
