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:
A couple years ago, I was there and I curated these shows with some really great local artists and producers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
At L&G Asset Management in London, fund managers at first saw what they thought was a great opportunity to buy French government bonds and sell bunds in recent days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
With four goals scored and none conceded, O'Neill's side are in great shape at the halfway point of the campaign.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
"He was a great theoretical physicist and a leader of quantum materials research at UChicago," Yang said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
In the middle of the cavern, a great, flat-topped stone gleamed like black ice.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
But concern is the prevailing mood among the culinary greats gathered in Mexico.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
A poetic circle: Wynton followed the greats, and posthumously, they followed him back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
BBC Sport takes a look at the statistics that put the former England white-ball captain among the greats of the T20 game, and the reasons behind his remarkable longevity.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
“Now they just added to that, with maybe the best pitcher in the game, certainly one of the greats in this era.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
For those looking for a good time, the State Street “Stroll,” between Twenty-Sixth and Thirty-Ninth Streets, offered a lively place to listen to the jazz greats and exchange the latest gossip.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
Although he acknowledged the US has greater military capacity, he said that "pound for pound" Canadian soldiers would be able to put up a fight.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
One of the adviser’s first recommendations was to rebalance our savings across accounts and bring in greater diversity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
No one is sure which came first in this “chicken-or-the-egg” story — greater demand for more nonalcoholic beer or better quality offerings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Areas that could be affected include greater Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and the Coachella Valley.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
This caused hot ash to roll down the mountain, covering an even greater expanse of land than the first blast.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Lewis said the pair realised what a privilege it was to have recorded and collaborated "with one of the greatest musicians and women to grace this Earth".
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Dietrich was Hollywood’s greatest seductress, with conquests galore, male and female, but she was prouder of helping the war effort during World War II as a performer and war-bonds promoter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
“It means directing limited resources toward what produces the greatest value for students and taxpayers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Here are the 15 stocks in the S&P 500 that were showing the greatest gains for September during early trading on Wednesday:
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
At this point, with the search for sunken vessels still in its infancy, Throckmorton was among the world’s greatest experts in dating the approximate age of a shipwreck.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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!
