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:
"It would be a great contribution from this wonderful community to the world."
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Holding great powers to account is the intellectual order of the day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
He did not speak with reporters afterward, other than to say he thought he played great and that he was going to hit balls on the driving range.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
So the rise of energy stocks isn’t a great sign that gasoline prices are due to fall anytime soon.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 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
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
"The 1958 tournament was the last real goal-fest tournament. You had the emerging Brazil team with Pele, but also the French team were all-time greats," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
After Neill's death was announced, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described him as "one of the greats".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The library even invited me to click on the ice-cream cones “to discover which literary greats were born on this day!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Others had painted him among the greats: Zapata, Albizu Campos, Sandino, Marti, and Malcolm, along with a million Adelitas.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
Now the commission is expected to propose greater flexibility for industry, with conditions.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
This means that oversupply in the chemical industry might persist even in a tighter feedstock market, with potential for an even greater margin pressure, they add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
That additional phosphate encouraged more marine growth, which led to greater burial of organic carbon on the seafloor.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026
But power-sector use has been underperforming this summer as renewables take a greater share of supply, the forecaster adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
“Therefore, the science fair is greater than all other Excelsior endeavors.”
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
“When you have 900 fires burning simultaneously, the ones that get the greatest attention are those closest to communities, homes or critical infrastructure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 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
England also paid tribute on social media, calling Sobers "one of the greatest to ever play the game".
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
It may well be the single greatest failure of the CIA in the history of that agency — far bigger than the Bay of Pigs.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
“This hasn’t exactly been the greatest day of my life, has it?”
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Vocabulary lists containing great
Spelling Practice, Unit 8
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Spelling Practice, Unit 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
