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.
I keep thinking about Maggie Smith’s great line in “California Suite”: “No woman can be expected to look good at 4 p.m. except Tatum O’Neal” — who was a child at the time.
From Los Angeles Times
“Last year when I hosted, Los Angeles was on fire. But this year, everything is going great,” O’Brien said.
From Los Angeles Times
"We have a great team of doctors, midwives, nurses, who are all voluntarily willing to do this service," she told BBC News NI.
From BBC
A beautiful loaf of bread from your neighborhood bakery or a great dip from the deli counter will always beat a resentfully assembled dish.
From Salon
No college basketball fan weeps for the Blue Devils’ bad luck, but Duke knows better than most that a great regular season doesn’t guarantee a championship.
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
