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

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

From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026

But by and large, mainstream Hollywood has done little with AI thus far.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

"It's by and large unifying, in terms of the social impact."

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

It has endured for 70 years because its attractions, by and large, reflect cultural myths.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

But by and large the Hartman congregation continued to suspect that Mabel Helm knew a thing or two that she was holding back.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

Related Words

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