Synonyms for heavy
adjective | typical contexts | example |
weighty | abstract and physical things; usually includes the idea of ‘seriousness’ | a weighty tome [large book], discuss weighty issues |
unwieldy | abstract and physical things; usually includes the idea of ‘difficult to handle’ | an unwieldy system/bureaucracy, an unwieldy object, e.g., a big box |
cumbersome | often used for machines and equipment that are difficult to handle; also used for systems, structures, etc. | a cumbersome weapon, a cumbersome process |
burdensome | usually used of abstract things | a burdensome duty |
ponderous | slow and clumsy because of weight, but usually used for dull and excessively serious abstract things | a ponderous style, e.g., way of writing or speaking, a ponderous thesis |
lumbering | usually used of physical things; often suggesting ‘heavy movement’ | a lumbering truck, a lumbering bear |