great
Usage
What are other ways to say great?
In reference to the size and extent of concrete objects, great is highly formal and even poetic, suggesting also that the object is notable or imposing, large is only somewhat formal, and big is the most general and most colloquial word: a great oak; a large tree; a big tree; great plains; a large field; a big field. 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.
It was an understated ending to his 20-year career, during which he was part of the 2015 Davis Cup team that secured Great Britain's first title in 79 years.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
Her mysterious, shifting face—at first glance deeply troubled, at second stoically resolute—encapsulated the hopes and fears of Americans during the Great Depression.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
Teachers Cecile Hansen and Peter Helmkamp, who had traveled from Miami, Florida to attend the "Great American State Fair" recommended fans, sunblock, visors, and dipping into air conditioned cafes every 20 minutes.
From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026
But no, we can confidently report that the Great American State Fair is a big ol’ dud.
From Slate • Jul. 1, 2026
Cecily the Great, she had scrawled beneath a drawing of Peter the Great, to which she had added freckles and two long pigtails.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Vocabulary lists containing great
Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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