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.
Said former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley: “It’s one of the great moments in Dodger history.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
If data-center construction keeps going for years, and investors prove willing to finance it, that’s great for Micron, Nvidia and other providers of the modern-day versions of picks and shovels for the AI gold rush.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Of course, fresh bulbs of garlic are also a great option.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
There are the great moments we saw, and then there are the great moments we feel we saw.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
But the great miracle of the day came later.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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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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