heavy-duty

adjective

heavy-du·​ty ˈhe-vē-ˈdü-tē How to pronounce heavy-duty (audio)
-ˈdyü-
Synonyms of heavy-dutynext
1
: able or designed to withstand unusual strain
heavy-duty trucks
2
: intensive
heavy-duty bargaining
3
: important, prominent
heavy-duty lawyers

Examples of heavy-duty in a Sentence

some heavy-duty lobbying on the part of the president was necessary in order to get the bill passed a group of heavy-duty politicians and other notables attended the gala
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Manufacturers must test heavy-duty vehicles for at least 500,000 miles before commercial use. Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026 The body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and the inflatable pool were allegedly purchased on Amazon four days later. Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 However, there are heavy-duty versions that can hold slightly more weight. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026 This laundry detergent’s value is off the charts and should be enough to convince you to ditch bougie brands that might not be as heavy-duty, or say goodbye to your laundromat’s expensive fluff and fold services. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heavy-duty

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavy-duty was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy-duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-duty. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

heavy-duty

adjective
heavy-du·​ty
ˌhev-ē-ˈd(y)üt-ē
: able or designed to take hard use or great strain
heavy-duty vehicles
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