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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:

I've taken a lot from that and I feel it will be a big part of how I want to approach things moving forward as a leader of this team.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

Markets have been allergic to cash outflows in recent months amid concern about returns on hypsercalers’ big investments.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 1, 2026

Prescription-drug coverage, including for GLP-1s for weight loss, is a big reason for rising healthcare costs, employers said.

From MarketWatch Aug. 1, 2026

The Tejon Pass isn’t nearly as tall as its grander sister mountain ranges, but no one has to haul a big rig loaded up with peaches over Mt.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 1, 2026

My parents added flimsy privacy walls, cutting a big room in twos or threes, each the size of a walk-in closet.

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

"The longer you leave it, the more fuel there is to burn, so the fire is naturally going to be bigger and harder to extinguish," he says.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

Then came an even bigger hurdle: the actual country they were living in.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 1, 2026

Rapidly improving AI capabilities are resulting in software products that are constantly evolving, making pricing software an even bigger challenge.

From MarketWatch Aug. 1, 2026

Then there’s a much bigger question, which my colleague Bill Shaikin explored in 2022: Is the gondola phase one of a plan to develop stadium property into some kind of Dodgertown commercial extravaganza?

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 1, 2026

Because he was bigger and stronger, she decided to offer him pieces of her chocolate.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Her biggest challenge will be finding time to watch her two daughters perform in two sports in her new job serving as region director for the Eagle Rock/Highland Park Network.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 1, 2026

And which projects offer the biggest bang for the buck?

From MarketWatch Aug. 1, 2026

After all that, a lawsuit from the California state attorney general to block the deal didn’t seem like the biggest hurdle.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 1, 2026

The Paradigm Peptides case is the biggest to rock the industry, an unregulated market which has exploded into the mainstream over the past 18 months.

From BBC Jul. 31, 2026

"They're the biggest that have ever crossed from Africa to Spain," the lion keeper said.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

"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

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

He has bigged a bower beside the thorn,   He has fenced it up wi' stane, And there within the Elmond wood,   They twa has dwelt their lane.

From Ballad Book by Bates, Katherine Lee

Newey effectively worked only three days a week, Horner would say, bigging up the roles of Wache and the technical leadership team around him, especially head of aerodynamics Enrico Balbo.

From BBC Jul. 9, 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

GP I really don’t want it to sound like I’m bigging myself up.

From New York Times Dec. 9, 2021

He has mair sense than to ca' anything about the bigging his ain, frae the rooftree down to a crackit trencher on the bink.

From The Antiquary — Volume 02 by Scott, Walter, Sir




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