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• massive
  massive

  adjective

  consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.
• Massive
  Massive

  noun

  Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

massive

¹ American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

adjective

1. 

   consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.

   massive columns.

2. large and heavy-looking.

   a massive forehead.

3. large in scale, amount, or degree.

   a massive breakdown in communications;

   massive reductions in spending.

4. solid or substantial; great or imposing.

   massive erudition.

5. Mineralogy. having no outward crystal form, although sometimes crystalline in internal structure.

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Massive ² American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

noun

1. Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

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massive British  

/ ˈmæsɪv /

adjective

1. (of objects) large in mass; bulky, heavy, and usually solid

2. impressive or imposing in quality, degree, or scope

   massive grief

3. relatively intensive or large; considerable

   a massive dose

4. pathol affecting a large area of the body

   a massive cancer

5. geology

   1. (of igneous rocks) having no stratification, cleavage, etc; homogeneous

   2. (of sedimentary rocks) arranged in thick poorly defined strata

6. mineralogy without obvious crystalline structure

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noun

1. slang a group of friends or associates; gang

   the Staines massive

Other Word Forms

• massiveness
  noun
• massivity
  noun
• massively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of massive

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ( see mass, -ive); replacing Middle English massif, from Middle French

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Explanation

Massive means enormous. Obviously, Mt. Everest is massive, but a massive budget cut isn't necessarily big in physical mass; it's something that is imposing in scale or power. A massive budget cut can do a lot of damage. Unless someone is referring to your intellect, massive is not a word you want used in a description of your attributes. Massive is a nice one to trot out when huge, gigantic, and enormous sound too over-the-top. Politicians use it often. Massive could also be the best way to describe the wave you surfed on your Hawaiian vacation or the size of the fish you nearly caught on that trip with your friends.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

massive Massive

By February 2009, with the global economy bottoming out in the wake of the financial crisis, beaten-down and low-rated cyclical stocks staged a massive rebound that left top-rated names behind.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Last week, skittishness about AI spending triggered a sharp sell-off in big tech stocks after the latest earnings showed massive investment without clear enough signs of a return.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

When I spoke with him last Thursday, the veteran journalist repeated his belief in the press’ witnessing role, unshaken by the massive changes occurring in the news industry.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

"Actually being able to speak to a clinician one-on-one and have a conversation about my personal circumstances really, really helped and really made a massive difference."

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

“Big, big, big, big, big,” said Cassiopeia, counting the row of massive fluted columns that lined the colonnade.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Massive new borrowing to fund AI-related infrastructure investments has benefited Blackstone and other private-credit providers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Massive flooding left a government building in western Nepal teetering on the edge of an unstable ledge before it fell into the Daram River.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Massive teams of engineers and scientists — including personnel from Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory — have worked for over a decade to develop the $4.3-billion telescope.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Massive pieces of floating ice can remain intact for years as they drift, then gradually fracture into smaller sections that may become difficult to track.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Massive Chinese agricultural, scientific, and industrial efforts are described in a book that Life magazine recently published.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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Related Words

• big
• colossal
• enormous
• extensive
• gargantuan
• gigantic
• grand
• great
• heavy
• hefty
• huge
• immense
• imposing
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• mammoth
• monumental
• substantial
• towering
• tremendous
• vast

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