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:
The Fairchilds said Jeffrey, who would be 57 in December, was intelligent, well-read and had a great sense of humor, with a passion for creative writing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
"What the NRL has done here is so good, what they bring to the game is great, so we want the NRL to do it the same in Europe."
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
With great humanity, “Ulysses S. Cat” makes the case for pets, not as toys or diversions, but as companions in joy, sorrow and all the rest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Using calipers, instruments designed to measure objects with great precision, the researchers compared the sizes of preserved crayfish.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Gingersnipes said, “And that’s great for you, rock belly, but you are a tortoise and Clare is a fox. Different, see? Foxes love their mothers, and tortoises throw themselves parties for simply being alive.”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Irrespective of that space for silverware on his CV, how highly does Kane rank in the pantheon of greats who have represented the England men's team?
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
“The greats aren’t perfect. But they do learn from their mistakes.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Despite his tough start on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, winning the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
A poetic circle: Wynton followed the greats, and posthumously, they followed him back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
He would not be made a fool of, even by one of the greats.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Japan tightened rules for permanent residency this month, with foreigners required to have higher annual incomes and greater fluency in Japanese.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
This causes a greater contrast with the warmer tropics which can fire up a more potent jet stream - the fast moving, narrow band of fast winds high in the atmosphere.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
He cautioned in his prepared speech remarks that “great universities do not become greater by trying to do everything.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Other people put themselves at greater risk than I, in the sense that they came forward and appeared on camera.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
But with his help, I’ve come to see that the long-term consequence of the alternative would’ve been far greater.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
His record as a substitute in the Premier League, however, remains among the greatest.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
"We're among the schools with the greatest needs so the students really need the most seasoned teachers."
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
“He’s proven that to us. He had the greatest game I’ve ever seen played by an individual player last year against us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Peters appears to be the person who has had the greatest access to Trump administration officials in recent months.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Mary Itallie, at seventy-six the oldest of our guests, was also the one who posed the greatest problem.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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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