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 wasn’t great on the body, but yeah, I’ve had a lot of experience running.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The timing wasn’t great given the pressures facing home construction, but pent-up residential construction demand is certainly there.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
“Wants to win; prepared; great competitor,” Roberts said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
"We are shocked by what happened," she told Ansa, describing it as "a great loss for the museum, for the city, the community and the art world".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The Duke said to Sancho, "Sancho, my friend, I, in the name of the great Don Quixote, appoint you governor of one of my islands."
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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
Through 1953 National League Rookie of the Year Jim Gilliam, who spent three seasons with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, Baker met several Negro League greats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"That's why you have some of the greats in women's sports. If Title IX and women's sports weren't protected, then you wouldn't hear about any type of women in sport."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
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
We’d watch the greats and talk about their style, technique, and interpretation.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
As the Saguaro was moved to greater simulated distances, the surrounding galaxy became too faint to see.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
Importantly, Peta also noted that equities account for a greater share of household net worth across all wealth brackets.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
“UAVs not ‘specially designed’ for a military use with an endurance of three hours or greater will continue to be controlled,” the notice said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
"With this change, this rebirth we are experiencing as a country...it's a different atmosphere, more peaceful, more enjoyable, and with greater freedom of expression," said Sosa.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
The shock was greater than the physical impact as Razi hit the waves.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
He’s gotten to meet visiting coaches through the years and seen some of the greatest players coming through the Trinity League.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
When creating the presidency, one of the Framers’ greatest worries was that holders of the new office would break through all the anti-monarchical provisions of the Constitution to become autocrats.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
The moment sparked jubilation among Bangladesh players and staff as they celebrated arguably their greatest victory in 26 years of competing in Test cricket.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Because their bodies are still developing, younger generations are expected to experience the greatest lifetime exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
It was a situation that led to one of the greatest challenges of long-term Arctic searching—boredom.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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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