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.
"We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," he told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
“But what’s great about the human experience is: Anything can happen.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
“Michigan secured a great deal on the financing of this bridge: we haven’t paid a dime, yet we will reap significant economic benefits for decades,” the spokeswoman said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
None of this is a great sign of what’s to come in the remaining cases.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
With the educations Tansy made me and Lloyd get, we went out into the world – back east to the great boom of the big city, the topless towers of Indianapolis.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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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