at large

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.

Idioms and Phrases

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

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]

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]

Example Sentences

Mr. Heavey is the editor at large of Field & Stream magazine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“It is the first major refusal of the international film industry at large that targets complicit Israeli film institutions and companies.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Around 20 could not be identified and remain at large.

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Police had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - as of Friday, according to National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, but a 20-year-old Peruvian man they say is the group's leader is still at large.

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"The expression of pessimist sentiments doesn't necessarily mean a fundamental rejection of participating in the labour market and society at large," says Dr Luo.

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Related Words

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