heavy going

noun

Going (i.e. conditions) that are wet and muddy (difficult to gallop on)

“That report is heavy going.”

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Meanings

nounheavy going (uncountable)
  1. uncountableGoing (i.e. conditions) that are wet and muddy (difficult to gallop on)
  2. idiomaticuncountableSomething that is boring; difficult to make progress on, or tedious

    That report is heavy going.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
boringdreichdullhumdrumlanguidmundanesoporificuncoolweaksauce

Origin

From horse racing.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

heavy going. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heavy%20going

MLA

“heavy going.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heavy%20going. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heavy going,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heavy%20going.

Source: heavy going on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.