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

Chinese car companies have avoided expanding to the U.S. by and large because of the software ban and tariffs in excess of 100% on imported EVs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 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

Homeless folks in Grants Pass—who, by and large, are from Grants Pass—face constant surveillance, threats, and harassment.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026

“Quite frankly, Californians are, by and large, looking for viable alternatives. They’re looking towards the California Republican Party,” Chairwoman Corrin Rankin told reporters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

Insects are beset not only by viruses and bacteria but also by fungi, protozoa, microscopic worms, and other beings from all that unseen world of minute life that, by and large, befriends mankind.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

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