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.
Tabasco works great in a mild chicken tortilla soup or a light noodle soup with chicken and vegetables.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
Cardio is much more important than lifting because it’s about heart health and VO2 max and making sure your heart is in great condition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Like any big city with great assets and unlimited challenges, many residents have a love-hate relationship with L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
The history of Scottish football is loaded with really good and truly great players who have never had the privilege of playing at a World Cup.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
"Our great Hippocrates, the father of medicine, says that a bellyful is bad, and if it is a bellyful of partridges, it is worse."
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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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