heavily
- 01 B1 Intermediate
in a large amount or to a great extent.
to a considerable degree or extent; frequently used to modify verbs of consumption or influence.
Simple“The company relies heavily on its international sales to make a profit.”
In context“The local economy remains heavily dependent on seasonal tourism, leaving many residents vulnerable to financial instability during the winter months.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'on' after verbs like 'rely' or 'depend'.
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
with a lot of force or in a thick layer.
with great force, weight, or density; typically describing precipitation or physical application.
Simple“It started to rain heavily just as we reached the bus stop.”
In context“Snow fell heavily throughout the night, eventually burying the mountain roads under several feet of fresh powder.”
UsageCommonly collocates with 'rain', 'snow', or 'sleep'.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
in a slow way that shows you are tired or find something difficult.
in a laboured, slow, or difficult manner, often relating to breathing or movement.
Simple“He was breathing heavily after running up the three flights of stairs.”
In context“The exhausted hiker sat on a rock, breathing heavily while trying to recover his strength for the final ascent.”
Usage heavily depend · heavily dependent · heavily involve
From Middle English hevely, hevyliche, from Old English hefiġlīċe (“heavily; grievously”), equivalent to heavy + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.