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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:

The boss of one well-known high street business told me they are even hoping there won't be any big bazookas.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

"This is a big observation that comes out of this work," said Peter Dodds, director of the UVM's Complex Systems Institute and senior author of the study.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

“We’re going to have to play good defense and not allow the big play,” Ortiz said pregame.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

Is it foolish to keep a house this big?

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

Flipping around, Harry smiled, the expression big, stretching across her face.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

As the harvest shifts, Maine's lobstermen are sailing out to deeper waters -- on bigger boats, using more diesel and crew.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

This is when our brain makes us think the Moon looks bigger because it is viewed alongside objects on the horizon such as buildings and trees.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

After the Cowboys moved from their original home, the Cotton Bowl, to the sparkling new Texas Stadium in 1971, they needed a commensurately bigger spectacle on the sidelines, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

It’s the only way chronic labor shortages will be alleviated and bigger wage gains for workers are likely to be realized.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

Tansy and Lloyd hit with a bigger thump.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

“This is one of the biggest themes in a generation,” said Jay Jacobs, U.S. head of equity ETFs at BlackRock, in a phone interview.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

Here it’s helpful to know that tooling—the metal-stamping equipment that automakers use to produce body panels by the tens of thousands—is one of the biggest capital expenses in any production line.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

She described that as “the biggest legal pressure point.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

But as Americans have proved, voters are sometimes willing to overlook a candidate’s rap sheet if he or she promises to fix their biggest problems.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2026

A minute ago she had reached over very quietly and painted her father's biggest toenail bright red.

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

I've suddenly got the fear we've bigged this up too much.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2024

"We bigged him up before kick off for his technical abilities, and he has just shown them again here. This guy is an outstanding player."

From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2023

“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

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

When erthe appone erthe hase bigged vp his bourris, 12 Than schalle erthe for erthe suffire scharpe scowrrys5.

From Erthe Upon Erthe by Various

"Without bigging myself up, people have been knighted for less than that."

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025

The talk of their golden generation is about as misplaced as the chat about them bigging themselves up.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 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

The "auld clay bigging" which saw his birth still stands by the side of the road that leads from Ayr to the river and the bridge of Doon.

From Robert Burns by John Campbell Shairp


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