big

biggest; bigger; bigs; bigly

Something big is just plain large or important. A big class has a lot of kids. A big room is larger than average. A big newspaper story is one that makes the front page.

Some people hate the idea of "big government" which means a federal government that plays a significant role in the day-to-day lives of its people. You might talk big at your reunion, but you really haven't traveled the world. (You went to Hoboken and Walla Walla!) Big can also pertain to age, as in "Will you be a big girl and get dressed all by yourself?"

Definitions of big
  1. adjective
    above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
    “set out for the big city”
    “a big (or large) barn”
    “big businesses”
    “a big expenditure”
    “a big group of scientists”
    synonyms: large
    ample, sizable, sizeable
    fairly large
    astronomic, astronomical, galactic
    inconceivably large
    bear-sized
    large as a bear
    bigger, larger
    large or big relative to something else
    biggish, largish
    somewhat large
    blown-up, enlarged
    as of a photograph; made larger
    bouffant, puffy
    being puffed out; used of hair style or clothing
    broad, spacious, wide
    very large in expanse or scope
    bulky
    of large size for its weight
    capacious
    large in capacity
    colossal, prodigious, stupendous
    so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
    deep
    large in quantity or size
    double
    large enough for two
    enormous, tremendous
    extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
    cosmic
    inconceivably extended in space or time
    elephantine, gargantuan, giant, jumbo
    of great mass; huge and bulky
    epic, heroic, larger-than-life
    very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)
    extended, extensive
    large in spatial extent or range or scope or quantity
    gigantic, mammoth
    so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth
    great
    relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
    grand
    large and impressive in physical size or extent
    Brobdingnagian, huge, immense, vast
    unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
    hulking, hulky
    of great size and bulk
    banging, humongous, thumping, walloping, whopping
    (used informally) very large
    king-size, king-sized
    extra large
    large-mouthed
    having a relatively large mouth
    large-scale
    unusually large in scope
    large-scale
    constructed or drawn to a big scale
    full-size, life-size, life-sized, lifesize
    being of the same size as an original
    macroscopic, macroscopical
    large enough to be visible with the naked eye
    macro
    very large in scale or scope or capability
    man-sized
    very large; appropriate to the size of a man
    massive, monolithic, monumental
    imposing in size or bulk or solidity
    massive
    imposing in scale or scope or degree or power
    medium-large
    of anything that is large but not the largest
    monstrous
    abnormally large
    mountainous
    like a mountain in size and impressiveness
    outsize, outsized, oversize, oversized
    larger than normal for its kind
    overlarge, too large
    excessively large
    plumping
    very large; of exceptional size for its kind
    queen-size, queen-sized
    (used especially of beds) not as large as king-size
    rangy
    allowing ample room for ranging
    super
    extremely large
    titanic
    of great force or power
    volumed
    formed or rising in rounded masses
    voluminous
    large in volume or bulk
    whacking
    (British informal) enormous
    wide-ranging
    including much
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    little, small
    limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
    atomic
    immeasurably small
    subatomic
    of smaller than atomic dimensions
    bantam, diminutive, flyspeck, lilliputian, midget, petite, tiny
    very small
    bittie, bitty, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, teensy, teensy-weensy, teentsy, teeny, teeny-weeny, wee, weensy, weeny
    (used informally) very small
    dinky
    small and insignificant
    dwarfish
    atypically small
    elfin, elflike
    small and delicate
    gnomish
    used of small deformed creatures
    half-size
    half the usual or regular size
    infinitesimal, minute
    infinitely or immeasurably small
    lesser
    smaller in size or amount or value
    microscopic, microscopical
    so small as to be invisible without a microscope
    micro
    extremely small in scale or scope or capability
    miniature
    being on a very small scale
    miniscule, minuscule
    very small
    olive-sized
    about the size of an olive
    pocket-size, pocket-sized, pocketable
    small enough to be carried in a garment pocket
    puny, runty, shrimpy
    (used especially of persons) of inferior size
    slender, slim
    small in quantity
    littler, smaller
    small or little relative to something else
    smallish
    rather small
    small-scale
    created or drawn on a small scale
    undersize, undersized
    smaller than normal for its kind
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    very intense
    “in a big rage”
    synonyms: bad
    intense
    possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
  3. adjective
    marked by intense physical force
    “a big wind”
    Synonyms:
    heavy
    of great intensity or power or force
  4. adjective
    loud and firm
    “a big voice”
    “big bold piano sounds”
    Synonyms:
    loud
    characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
  5. adjective
    prodigious
    “big spender”
    “big eater”
    synonyms: heavy
    intemperate
    excessive in behavior
  6. adverb
    extremely well
    “his performance went over big”
  7. adverb
    on a grand scale
    “think big”
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    small
    on a small scale
  8. adverb
    in a major way
    “the play failed big at the box office”
  9. adjective
    conspicuous in position or importance
    “a big figure in the movement”
    “big man on campus”
    synonyms: large, prominent
    conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
  10. adjective
    significant
    “graduation was a big day in his life”
    Synonyms:
    important, of import
    of great significance or value
  11. adjective
    (of animals) fully developed
    synonyms: adult, full-grown, fully grown, grown, grownup
    mature
    having reached full natural growth or development
  12. adjective
    generous and understanding and tolerant
    “a heart big enough to hold no grudges”
    “that's very big of you to be so forgiving”
    synonyms: large, magnanimous
    generous
    not petty in character and mind
  13. adjective
    given or giving freely
    “was a big tipper”
    synonyms: bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, freehanded, giving, handsome, liberal, openhanded
    generous
    willing to give and share unstintingly
  14. adjective
    exhibiting self-importance
    “big talk”
    synonyms: boastful, braggart, bragging, braggy, cock-a-hoop, crowing, self-aggrandising, self-aggrandizing
    proud
    feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
  15. adjective
    feeling self-importance
    “too big for his britches”
    synonyms: swelled, vainglorious
    proud
    feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
  16. adverb
    in a boastful manner
    “he talked big all evening”
    synonyms: boastfully, large, vauntingly
  17. adjective
    in an advanced stage of pregnancy
    “was big with child”
    synonyms: enceinte, expectant, gravid, great, heavy, large, with child
    pregnant
    carrying developing offspring within the body or being about to produce new life
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘big'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing big

Unknown Origins

Most words in the English language can be traced back etymologically to countless languages and many of them have had a long and winding journey to finally end up in our dictionaries. But here's a list of words that simply seem to have appeared out of thin air.

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