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:
Barton let him in on a less popular trip that involved a great swimming hole, fish tacos at Whoa Nellie Deli, an adventure around Mono Lake and a drive through a stunning mountain pass.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
"I was floating like a dead body, and after great difficulty managed to raise my head slightly."
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
"I'm going to have to stretch my budget even more this month, with great difficulty," he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Say adios to Argentina: For a great number of soccer fans, Argentina evoked the feeling of getting away with something.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
I’ve made a list of the ten great concert halls around the globe that I want to play in someday.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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
Each innings saw two greats of the game master the conditions when few else could, but it was England's who came out on top.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Did that mean Holland was daunted at the thought of working with one of cinema's greats?
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
While much of the source material comes from elsewhere, the cumulative mood is extremely personal to an artist who has spent his life helping the greats find true expression.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
The Louvre was also a sort of art studio, where amateurs came to copy the paintings of the greats.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Nolan keeps them at a much greater distance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“This transaction is the natural next phase: it gives our shareholders ownership in an investment-grade company with greater scale and diversification, and the balance sheet to sustain long-term returns,” BlueNord Chief Executive Euan Shirlaw said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
That means that as you earn more, a greater proportion of your income is taxed.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
"The main obstacle is the different standards and regulations between African countries. With AfCFTA, we could have greater harmonisation," said Yattabare.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The longer-term the option, the sillier the results generated by the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and the greater the opportunity for people who didn’t use it.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
The pro-European Union conservative leader was to meet Polgar, who is considered the greatest woman chess player of all time, on Monday to ask if she would take the post.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The greatest concern has been the fitness of captain Reece James, who played into the latter stages of the tournament after helping England reach the third-place play-off, but suffered hamstring issues.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
How life began on Earth remains one of science's greatest unanswered questions.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, 39, is arguably the greatest player in World Cup history, having played more games, scored more goals and collected more assists than anyone who has gone before him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Leonardo, together with his cousin Enzo da Vinci, the finest stonemason in the world, were hailed as the greatest architects of their day; experts in the building of the most sophisticated fortifications and city walls.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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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