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

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

From BBC • Mar. 31, 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

“We have written the networks letters, and the response, by and large, has been defensive as they attempt to justify what is unjustifiable,” Jackson said at the news conference.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Public-market assets by and large meet these criteria.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

“These people by and large did not know anything about how to do the trade and expected Goldman to help them replicate it,” Burry wrote in an e-mail to his CFO.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

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