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big

[big] / bɪg /






Usage

What are other ways to say big? In reference to the size and extent of concrete objects, big is the most general and most colloquial word, large is somewhat more formal, and great is highly formal and even poetic, suggesting also that the object is notable or imposing: a big tree; a large tree; a great oak; a big field; a large field; great plains. When the reference is to degree or a quality, great is the usual word: great beauty; great mistake; great surprise; although big sometimes alternates with it in colloquial style: a big mistake; a big surprise; large is usually not used in reference to degree, but may be used in a quantitative reference: a large number (great number).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

While the flow of earnings reports slows from last week, there are still some big names reporting that could impact the market.

From MarketWatch Aug. 2, 2026

One day the bust will be the big one.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 2, 2026

“Those are big wins that Angelenos see and feel, it’s not campaign rhetoric. The Mayor’s getting things done across the City and that’s how you win.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 2, 2026

“In the next few years, cybersecurity for ServiceNow may be as big as ServiceNow is today,” McDermott told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch Aug. 2, 2026

The show is all big photographs of different sizes expertly framed and hanging on the walls.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

After moving to downtown Detroit, Hall and his wife downsized to one vehicle, and in a bigger city, the Edge made for a perfect fit, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 1, 2026

But such data provides just one part of a bigger picture.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

Rapidly improving AI capabilities are resulting in software products that are constantly evolving, making pricing software an even bigger challenge.

From MarketWatch Aug. 1, 2026

Then there’s a much bigger question, which my colleague Bill Shaikin explored in 2022: Is the gondola phase one of a plan to develop stadium property into some kind of Dodgertown commercial extravaganza?

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 1, 2026

Howling and struggling, I was led away from the world I knew into a bigger, stranger, harder one.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

So it’s not entirely accurate to say that Infantino wanted to sell world soccer’s biggest brand to the Trump family.

From Salon Aug. 2, 2026

Garrett, 30, is one of the biggest stars on a star-studded Rams team that is favored to win the Super Bowl, regardless of whether Donald comes out of retirement.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 2, 2026

The board wouldn’t have voted to close without alignment from their biggest funder, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 1, 2026

Sean McGreevy, Belfast Area Manager, said this is one of the biggest events Translink has been involved with in recent years.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

“Your own daughter, in one of the biggest movies ever made! Golly, I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

I've bigged myself up about doing an Ironman, but now I'm starting to regret that!

From BBC Sep. 8, 2025

“This agreement has been bigged up as something that will be a solution to the world’s food shortage, and it is just not,” said Tracey Allen, an agricultural commodities strategist at JPMorgan Chase.

From New York Times Aug. 1, 2022

Brendan was never as good as people bigged him up to me.

From BBC Apr. 20, 2015

Across the world in Los Angeles, the Compton Cricket Club is bigged in by Cloth's Bullets – a song, like the CCC itself, dedicated to fighting homelessness and gang culture with civility and dignity.

From The Guardian Jul. 25, 2013

But whan erthe opon erthe     has bigged his borowes, 12 Than sall erthe for the erthe     sofur sharpe shovres.

From Erthe Upon Erthe by Various

"Eddie's been bigging me up, so I had to show what I'm about," said Bristol's Ayton, a flawless 21-0 as an amateur.

From BBC Jun. 21, 2025

Another massive performance and others aside from Sinfield might be bigging him up.

From Washington Times Oct. 19, 2023

GP I really don’t want it to sound like I’m bigging myself up.

From New York Times Dec. 9, 2021

"Let me just clear that up because obviously Leicester fans know how much respect I've got for them, their owners and constantly bigging up Leicester and what they do," Wright said on Twitter external-link.

From BBC Aug. 7, 2021

With man and woman, horn and hoof, And bigging for the homestead roof.

From The Norsemen in the West by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)




Vocabulary lists containing big


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