Top-heavy
adjective
Having the top part of something much heavier or larger than the bottom part.
The car seemed top-heavy with baggage.
Often appears as...
- top-heavy structure
- top-heavy design
adjective
Having too many managers in relation to the number of people actually doing the job, used in a management context.
The company was top-heavy and needed a restructure.
Often appears as...
- top-heavy management
- top-heavy organization
adjective
Having the top part of something much heavier or larger than the bottom part.
The car seemed top-heavy with baggage.
Often appears as...
- top-heavy structure
- top-heavy design
adjective
Having too many managers in relation to the number of people actually doing the job, used in a management context.
The company was top-heavy and needed a restructure.
Often appears as...
- top-heavy management
- top-heavy organization
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imbalance
Imagine something larger or heavier at the top like a bobble-head toy.
The vase was so top-heavy it toppled over with a slight touch.
Pro Tip 2/3Stability Concern
Use 'top-heavy' to suggest a risk of falling or tipping over.
Avoid stacking those books too high; they'll get top-heavy.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Description
Applies to objects or things, not people, to describe their shape.
The top-heavy lamp swayed dangerously in the wind.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imbalance
Imagine something larger or heavier at the top like a bobble-head toy.
The vase was so top-heavy it toppled over with a slight touch.
Pro Tip 2/3Stability Concern
Use 'top-heavy' to suggest a risk of falling or tipping over.
Avoid stacking those books too high; they'll get top-heavy.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Description
Applies to objects or things, not people, to describe their shape.
The top-heavy lamp swayed dangerously in the wind.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imbalance
Imagine something larger or heavier at the top like a bobble-head toy.
The vase was so top-heavy it toppled over with a slight touch.
Pro Tip 2/3Stability Concern
Use 'top-heavy' to suggest a risk of falling or tipping over.
Avoid stacking those books too high; they'll get top-heavy.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Description
Applies to objects or things, not people, to describe their shape.
The top-heavy lamp swayed dangerously in the wind.
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Video examples
Africa’s rhyming history...
dominated top-heavy economies diversified better had diversified better and were better able to withstand these downturns in world economic conditions what if Africa's civil society had been
Video examples
Older people are happier...
happen to societies that are top-heavy with older people the numbers won't determine the outcome culture will if we invest in science and technology and find solutions for the real problems
Video examples
Avalanche PIPE Do or Die
these thundering masses of snow are one of the most dangerous forces in nature when windblown powder accumulates unevenly on the leeward side of a mountain the top-heavy snowpack reaches
Video examples
Laura Carstensen: Older...
What will happen to societies that are top-heavy with older people? The numbers won't determine the outcome. Culture will. If we invest in science and technology
Video examples
Africa’s rhyming history...
dominated top-heavy economies diversified better had diversified better and were better able to withstand these downturns in world economic conditions what if Africa's civil society had been
Video examples
Older people are happier...
happen to societies that are top-heavy with older people the numbers won't determine the outcome culture will if we invest in science and technology and find solutions for the real problems
Video examples
Avalanche PIPE Do or Die
these thundering masses of snow are one of the most dangerous forces in nature when windblown powder accumulates unevenly on the leeward side of a mountain the top-heavy snowpack reaches
Video examples
Laura Carstensen: Older...
What will happen to societies that are top-heavy with older people? The numbers won't determine the outcome. Culture will. If we invest in science and technology
Example 1 of 4
Quote examples
John Mica
American Politician
When the TSA was established, it was never envisioned that it would become a huge, unwieldy bureaucracy which was soon to grow to 67,000 employees. As TSA has grown larger, more impersonal, and administratively top-heavy, I believe it is important that airports across the country consider utilizing the opt-out provision provided by law.
Quote examples
Bill Skarsgard
Swedish Actor
I love the story behind the Vasa Museum: in the 17th century, the Swedish king was trying to make a statement by building a huge ship that would sail around Europe carrying the Swedish flag and proving that we were a force to be reckoned with, and basically, the ship was top-heavy, and so it went 300 or so yards and sank.
Quote examples
John Fleming
American Politician
The Freedom Caucus, like many of the members, feel like that we have too much of a top-heavy, power-based type of leadership program where the decisions are made exclusively at the top and that members voices are not heard, which means that our constituents' voices are not heard: those that we represent.
Quote examples
Camille Paglia
American Author
Why has the Democratic Party become so arrogantly detached from ordinary Americans? Though they claim to speak for the poor and dispossessed, Democrats have increasingly become the party of an upper-middle-class professional elite, top-heavy with journalists, academics and lawyers.
Quote examples
Judy Horacek
Australian Cartoonist
Canberra was my home for many years, and there's a lot to love about it. It has a small population with a strong sense of community and is top-heavy with interesting, highly educated, socially progressive people - the opposite of the stereotypical image of dull public servants.
Quote examples
Terry Gilliam
American Director
There are moments when television systems are young and haven't formed properly, and there's room for lots of original stuff. Then things become more and more top-heavy with executives who are trying to guarantee the success of things.
Quote examples
Gary Hamel
American Businessman
Over the centuries, religion has become institutionalized, and in the process encrusted with elaborate hierarchies, top-heavy bureaucracies, highly specialized roles and reflexive routines.
Quote examples
Tim Curry
British Actor
I've worked in a few sort of 'institutional' theaters - the Royal Shakespeare, the National Theater in England - and they're hopelessly top-heavy with bureaucracy.
Quote examples
John McAfee
American Businessman
The government generally is just too top-heavy.
Quote examples
John Mica
American Politician
When the TSA was established, it was never envisioned that it would become a huge, unwieldy bureaucracy which was soon to grow to 67,000 employees. As TSA has grown larger, more impersonal, and administratively top-heavy, I believe it is important that airports across the country consider utilizing the opt-out provision provided by law.
Quote examples
Bill Skarsgard
Swedish Actor
I love the story behind the Vasa Museum: in the 17th century, the Swedish king was trying to make a statement by building a huge ship that would sail around Europe carrying the Swedish flag and proving that we were a force to be reckoned with, and basically, the ship was top-heavy, and so it went 300 or so yards and sank.
Quote examples
John Fleming
American Politician
The Freedom Caucus, like many of the members, feel like that we have too much of a top-heavy, power-based type of leadership program where the decisions are made exclusively at the top and that members voices are not heard, which means that our constituents' voices are not heard: those that we represent.
Quote examples
Camille Paglia
American Author
Why has the Democratic Party become so arrogantly detached from ordinary Americans? Though they claim to speak for the poor and dispossessed, Democrats have increasingly become the party of an upper-middle-class professional elite, top-heavy with journalists, academics and lawyers.
Quote examples
Judy Horacek
Australian Cartoonist
Canberra was my home for many years, and there's a lot to love about it. It has a small population with a strong sense of community and is top-heavy with interesting, highly educated, socially progressive people - the opposite of the stereotypical image of dull public servants.
Quote examples
Terry Gilliam
American Director
There are moments when television systems are young and haven't formed properly, and there's room for lots of original stuff. Then things become more and more top-heavy with executives who are trying to guarantee the success of things.
Quote examples
Gary Hamel
American Businessman
Over the centuries, religion has become institutionalized, and in the process encrusted with elaborate hierarchies, top-heavy bureaucracies, highly specialized roles and reflexive routines.
Quote examples
Tim Curry
British Actor
I've worked in a few sort of 'institutional' theaters - the Royal Shakespeare, the National Theater in England - and they're hopelessly top-heavy with bureaucracy.
Quote examples
John McAfee
American Businessman
The government generally is just too top-heavy.
Example 1 of 9
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