by and large

British  

adverb

1. in general; on the whole

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by and large Idioms  

1. For the most part, generally speaking, as in By and large the novel was a success. This expression originated in 17th-century seamanship, where it referred to sailing into the wind and then off it, which made it easier to steer. By the early 1700s the term had been broadened to mean “in one direction and another,” whence its present meaning of “in general.” For a synonym, see for the most part.

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Etymology

Origin of by and large

C17: originally nautical (meaning: to the wind and off it)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by and large

The vehicle’s novel design potentially puts it in conflict with federal safety standards, which were developed for traditional motor vehicles by and large several decades ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

“In general … people who want to work, by and large, are holding or finding jobs,” Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh said on Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

But by and large, he’s been a huge disappointment.

From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026

Long added she was "conscious always" of the security threat in Northern Ireland, but, "by and large", the police have been able to "suppress and disrupt" such activity.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

Eventually, of course, the matter came to be, by and large, forgotten.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• commonly
• consistently
• customarily
• frequently
• generally
• mostly
• naturally
• normally
• occasionally
• often
• ordinarily
• regularly
• routinely
• sometimes