adjective
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unusually large; huge; vast
-
without limits; immeasurable
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informal very good; excellent
Synonym Usage
See huge.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of immense
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin immēnsus “huge, boundless, immeasurable,” equivalent to im- “un-” + mēnsus, past participle of mētīrī “to measure”; see im- 2
Explanation
Immense means very large in size, amount, or degree. You might describe the ocean as immense, or your homework load, or the slice of cake your brother took, leaving you a tiny sliver. This word has an immense number of near synonyms: huge, great, enormous, vast, gigantic, colossal, mammoth, copious, tremendous are a few of the more common ones. If you're having immense difficulty deciding which word to use, just plain "very big" might do.
Vocabulary lists containing immense
List 4
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"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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myPerspectives 8.1
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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.
The researchers speculate that the signal could come from a "stream" of material released by the star's core while the black hole's immense gravity was tearing it apart.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
The yearly increase in the cost of materials for industrial construction surged to a postpandemic high of 5.3% in July, underscoring the immense push to build more data centers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
They also highlighted immense pressures on students in India, the world's most populous nation where admission to government-run colleges remains one of the most sought-after pathways to economic security.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
He discussed feeling immense grief and how that grief can leave a gaping hole.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
That had seemed to satisfy him, but then, to my immense discomfort, and in front of everybody, he brought it up again.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
