unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions.
A great fire destroyed nearly half the city.
large in number; numerous.
Great hordes of tourists descend on Europe each summer.
unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity, etc..
great pain.
wonderful; very good; first-rate.
We had a great time.
That's great!
being such in an extreme or notable degree.
great friends;
a great talker.
exceptionally outstanding; notable; remarkable.
a great occasion.
highly significant or consequential; important.
the great issues in American history.
a great inventor.
of noble or lofty character.
great thoughts.
chief or principal.
the great hall;
his greatest novel.
of high rank, official position, or social standing.
a great noble.
much in use or favor.
“Humor” was a great word with the old physiologists.
of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable.
a great statesman.
of considerable duration or length.
We waited a great while for the train.
Informal.
being of one generation more remote from the family relative specified (used in combination).
a great-grandson.
a person who has achieved importance or distinction in a field.
She is one of the theater's greats.
great persons, collectively.
England's literary great.
Also called great go. (often initial capital letter) greats,
the final examination for the bachelor's degree in the classics and mathematics, or Literae Humaniores, especially at Oxford University and usually for honors.
the course of study.
the subject studied.
(used to express acceptance, appreciation, approval, admiration, etc.)
(used ironically or facetiously to express disappointment, annoyance, distress, etc.).
Great! We just missed the last train home.
relatively large in size or extent; big
relatively large in number; having many parts or members
a great assembly
of relatively long duration
a great wait
of larger size or more importance than others of its kind
the great auk
extreme or more than usual
great worry
of significant importance or consequence
a great decision
of exceptional talents or achievements; remarkable
a great writer
( as noun )
the great
one of the greats
arising from or possessing idealism in thought, action, etc; heroic
great deeds
illustrious or eminent
a great history
impressive or striking
a great show of wealth
much in use; favoured
poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era
active or enthusiastic
a great walker
doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale
what a great buffoon
he's not a great one for reading
(often foll by at) skilful or adroit
a great carpenter
you are great at singing
informal excellent; fantastic
informal (intensifier)
a dirty great smack in the face
archaic
pregnant
great with child
full (of)
great with hope
(intensifier, used in mild oaths)
Great Scott!
informal
to be informed about
to be enthusiastic about or for
being the parent of a person's grandparent (in the combinations great-grandfather, great-grandmother, great-grandparent )
being the child of a person's grandchild (in the combinations great-grandson, great-granddaughter, great-grandchild )
What are other ways to say great? Something that is great may be unusually or comparatively large in size or number. How is great different from the adjectives large and big? Find out more on Thesaurus.com.
First recorded before 900; Middle English greet, Old English grēat; cognate with Dutch groot, German gross
As an adjective great describes things that are very good, large, or important — like a great movie, a great forest, or a great battle that changed the course of a war. Great can also be a noun: a person who is a legend in his or her field, like Aretha Franklin, a soul great, or Wayne Gretzky — a hockey great who became known as "the Great One." Only a few people qualify for the distinction of being a great — it takes a remarkable talent that continues to awe people long after the person's heyday.
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!
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!
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!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Every year, one or two or three statues were erected. But they didn’t honor Lenin or Stalin. The statues were of Alexander I, of Peter the Great, of Catherine, of Nicholas I.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
The last time a sitting Los Angeles city attorney was knocked out of office in a primary election, the Great Depression was in full swing.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
After seeing his friends get into difficulty, he jumped into the River Great Ouse to help save them, but later suffered a cardiac arrest and drowned.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The number of applications for parking spots at Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the annual eight-night firefly viewing period.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Beyond the fog, the red eye of the Great Auroch was climbing ever higher.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
