Word
heaviness
Phoneticsheav·i·ness
UK/hˈɛvinəs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the weight of something, or a heavy, tired feeling in your body. You feel it when a bag is hard to lift, or your eyes want to close.
n. weight or pressure experienced as difficult to lift, bear, or move, whether in an object, the body, or the air. Extends to emotional or stylistic weight, such as a sad mood or a slow, serious way of speaking.
Examples
“I feel heaviness in my legs after the long walk.”
“After carrying boxes all morning, he feels a dull heaviness in his shoulders.”
“The heaviness of the humid afternoon air settled over the town, slowing talk and making small tasks feel like hard work.”
Examples
simple
“I feel heaviness in my legs after the long walk.”
contextual
“After carrying boxes all morning, he feels a dull heaviness in his shoulders.”
complex
“The heaviness of the humid afternoon air settled over the town, slowing talk and making small tasks feel like hard work.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “heaviness” in context.
Verb
01. complain of heaviness
“Many patients complain of heaviness in the legs after standing all day.”
verb + prep + noun
02. ease heaviness
“A short walk helped ease the heaviness in her legs.”
verb + noun
03. feel heaviness
“She could feel heaviness in her eyelids as the lecture continued.”
verb + noun
04. heaviness lifts
“After a good night's sleep, the heaviness finally lifted.”
noun + verb
05. heaviness presses
“The heaviness pressed on his chest, making it hard to breathe.”
noun + verb
06. heaviness settles
“A quiet heaviness settled over the room after the bad news.”
noun + verb
Adjective
07. dull heaviness
“He woke with a dull heaviness behind his eyes from lack of sleep.”
adj + noun
08. extreme heaviness
“The extreme heaviness of the suitcase made it impossible to carry.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. feeling of heaviness
“A feeling of heaviness in her arms made typing difficult.”
noun + prep + noun
10. feel a sense of heaviness
“After the long flight, she felt a real sense of heaviness in her legs.”
11. heaviness in the chest
“Stress can cause a tight heaviness in the chest and difficulty breathing.”
12. heaviness in the legs
“Runners often report heaviness in the legs after a marathon.”
Real-World Examples
“Inspired by punk, Venom intensified the heaviness of early British heavy metal bands by playing at a furious pace.” Etymology
From Middle English hevynesse, from Old English hefiġnes (“heaviness”). Equivalent to heavy + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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