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

Wall Street by and large laid low in its criticisms of Zohran Mamdani’s first few months as New York City’s mayor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 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

Markets have, by and large, maintained their composure in the face of a 60% rise in the price of Brent in the last month.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

It tides patients over through diseases that are not, by and large, understood.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

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