top-heavy

adjective

ˈtäp-ˌhe-vē 

1

: having the top part too heavy for the lower part

2

: having too high a proportion of administrators

a top-heavy bureaucracy

3

: oversupplied with one element at the expense of others : lacking balance

a novel top-heavy with description

Examples of top-heavy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That divergence shows the top-heavy performance of the market lately. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026

Yes, the Power Keyboard is heavier, but that extra heft is partly used to counteract the top-heavy imbalance when attached to a phone. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

The 7-foot-2 center is the type of rim-protecting force that can unlock a new scheme and elevate his teammates as the Lakers compete in a top-heavy Western Conference. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Tampa Bay’s lineup can come across as top-heavy, relying too much on the front half for its production. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for top-heavy

• replevy
• bevy
• chevy
• heavy
• levee
• levy

Kids Definition

top-heavy

adjective

ˈtäp-ˌhev-ē

: having the top part too heavy for the lower part