at large

Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for the election of public officials by an entire governmental unit rather than by subdivisions of the unit. For example, a delegate at large does not represent any specific district or locale, but speaks instead for a much wider group of people.

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at large Idioms  

1. Free, unconfined, especially not confined in prison, as in To our distress, the housebreakers were still at large . [1300s]

2. At length, fully; also, as a whole, in general. For example, The chairman talked at large about the company's plans for the coming year , or, as Shakespeare wrote in Love's Labour's Lost (1:1): “So to the laws at large I write my name” (that is, I uphold the laws in general). This usage is somewhat less common. [1400s]

3. Elected to represent an entire group of voters rather than those in a particular district or other segment—for example, alderman at large , representing all the wards of a city instead of just one, or delegate at large to a labor union convention . [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at large

He remains at large, having been ousted in a coup in 2019.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

That challenge is familiar at large mining operations, where specialized teams manage ventilation and water systems.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026

"If you happen to be getting married at MSG, you will be staying inside and staying cool, and I think it's a good example to set for the city at large," he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

BMW shares fell 11%, dragging the sector at large after the company slashed guidance due to a deteriorating Chinese market and the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

There was only one Nazi saboteur still at large, Hermann Neubauer.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Related Words

• able
• clear
• easy
• independent
• loose
• open
• unfettered
• unrestricted