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

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

Local fire marshals, fire chiefs and firefighting unions have, by and large, opposed easing staircase requirements in the building code wherever they’ve been proposed.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

The U.S. can still claim some of those companies, but by and large that kind of market trend would be much more beneficial to the rest of the world.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 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