Fat vs Heavy

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

	Fat	Heavy
Meaning	Having a lot of body weight; not thin.	Something that weighs a lot.
CEFR level	A1	A2
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Usage notes	Used to describe someone who has excess body weight. Avoid using this word to describe someone in a negative or derogatory way, as it can be considered offensive.	Used to describe weight or intensity. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, but can be ambiguous when used metaphorically (like 'heavy workload').

Frequently asked questions: Fat vs Heavy

What's the difference between "Fat" and "Heavy"?

"Fat" means: Having a lot of body weight; not thin. "Heavy" means: Something that weighs a lot.

When should I use "Fat" and "Heavy"?

They can all be used in everyday English.

Are "Fat" and "Heavy" the same CEFR level?

"Fat" is at A1, "Heavy" is at A2 on the CEFR scale.