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.
See Examples For:
A great example comes from 1975 and the reserve clause controversy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Aging great Novak Djokovic stumbled out of his most recent match after appearing to upchuck on the court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Sinner's decision comes a day after his great rival Carlos Alcaraz announced he is competing at Flushing Meadows following a four-month absence with a wrist injury.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Led by researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK, the new study suggests that a vast "great escarpment" formed about 800 million years ago as the supercontinent Rodinia broke apart.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
We had known, of course, that when overcrowding reached a certain point, the sickest were taken to the brick building at the foot of the great square smokestack.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
BBC Sport takes a look at the statistics that put the former England white-ball captain among the greats of the T20 game, and the reasons behind his remarkable longevity.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Through 1953 National League Rookie of the Year Jim Gilliam, who spent three seasons with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, Baker met several Negro League greats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"That's why you have some of the greats in women's sports. If Title IX and women's sports weren't protected, then you wouldn't hear about any type of women in sport."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Yet the lasting images from both tournaments are of all-time greats such as Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi dancing on the field.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Remember the greats, my dad likes to gloat: I balled with Magic and the Goat.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
Berney in his email offered to reimburse Afram’s company for the missing drive or create a new digital cinema package, but Afram said the damage was much greater than that, according to the lawsuit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
President Trump reaffirmed support for the Clarity Act, which would allow for greater integration of Bitcoin and its peers into the U.S. economy if passed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
In a sane world he would provide answers that could facilitate greater understanding of his actions and motivations, and how he believes those actions will benefit the American people.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
In addition to restoring the sale of American booze, Canada is said to be considering allowing American dairy producers greater access to its market.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
But with his help, I’ve come to see that the long-term consequence of the alternative would’ve been far greater.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
“Liveforever” remains an unforgettable ode to unruly youth, and one of the greatest novels in Latin American history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
That would be truly remarkable — and would offer the greatest one-way bet in financial history.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
But it’s a testament to the physicians featured in “American Doctor” that none of them would suggest that this is the greatest crime occurring in the region.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Bessent said the new economic penalties will be part of "the greatest co-ordinated economic isolation in the history of the world".
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
He called the greatest minds from all twelve tribes of his people to hear how they thought this problem might be solved.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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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