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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 firm’s next big bet is going small.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 17, 2026

His son Aron Davies said the family had "suffered an unimaginable loss", describing his father as "driven, determined and someone who simply didn't accept that a problem was too big to solve".

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

But her big passion was for horses, with her Instagram showing the young woman proudly riding or training them.

From Barron's Sep. 17, 2026

The big organizations, though, do not seem to feel that tension.

From Slate Sep. 16, 2026

“Your dad tells me your birthdays are tomorrow. You two are turning fifteen! That’s exciting. Any big plans?” she asks.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

While the Moon has numerous craters, many of which are far bigger than McGetchin, researching a crater's formation in real time can help build understanding of the Moon's geology.

From Barron's Sep. 17, 2026

Layers of management help bigger bosses get stuff done.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 17, 2026

Sputnik Planitia is a vast glacier made largely of frozen nitrogen and is bigger than Texas and Oklahoma combined.

From Science Daily Sep. 17, 2026

It's a bigger number than usual and I wanted to quickly run through all of them.

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

“At least with automobiles, the cab can be bigger than what a horse can pull.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Attacking duo Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are on there too, after being two of the biggest omissions from Tuchel's squad for the World Cup.

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

“What we’ve seen this year is the biggest crude-oil supply disruption in history,” said Jim Burkhard, S&P Global Energy’s head of crude-oil research.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 17, 2026

That added sensitivity could help astronomers discover more planets during their earliest stages of formation and close one of the biggest observational gaps in exoplanet science.

From Science Daily Sep. 17, 2026

Michigan-based Lineage is one of the world’s biggest cold storage companies, with nearly 500 buildings in 19 countries.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 17, 2026

Our biggest problem was idleness, wedged together as we were around the long rows of tables with nothing to do.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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

From BBC Mar. 12, 2024

“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

This album has been bigged up by professional critics over the age of 50, but they are all closet fans.

From The Guardian Jun. 24, 2020

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

From BBC Apr. 20, 2015

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

That said, this England group is always bigging each other up so it is hard to know.

From BBC Feb. 26, 2025

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

From Washington Times Oct. 19, 2023

Patrick Vieira has been bigging up Michael Olise, and warning off potential suitors.

From The Guardian Mar. 11, 2022

No," said Argyll, "it was in Doom, the place of a small landowner, Lamond, whose castle—it is but a ramshackle old bigging now—you may have noticed on your left as you rode round.

From Doom Castle by Neil Munro




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