enormous
Americanadjective
-
greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc.; huge; immense.
an enormous fortune.
- Synonyms:
- stupendous, prodigious, mammoth, gigantic, colossal, vast
-
outrageous or atrocious.
enormous wickedness; enormous crimes.
adjective
-
unusually large in size, extent, or degree; immense; vast
-
archaic extremely wicked; heinous
Synonym Usage
See huge.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of enormous
Explanation
When something is very, very, VERY big, it can be called enormous. “Good heavens, that pimple on your cheek is absolutely enormous; it covers half your face!” The word enormous contains within it, if you look closely, the root norm, as in normal. So what you’re saying when you call something enormous is that it’s beyond what is normal; you’re trying to convey a sense of exaggerated difference. You may also have heard the word ginormous, which people try to use as enormous with a dramatic flair. But, trust us: ginormous is not a good word; it’s just a blend of two words — gigantic and enormous.
Vocabulary lists containing enormous
Chains
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Living Large: Synonyms for "Big"
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Micron shares were up 6.7% at $922.54 in premarket trading, after falling 13% on Friday as a chip-sector selloff took a chunk out of its recent enormous gains.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Inside the primary residence, are “richly appointed” living spaces, many of which feature “vaulted and beam ceilings,” with enormous windows that flood the main areas with natural light throughout the day.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Speaking to both head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, I think they felt enormous relief.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Mexico arrives at the World Cup with enormous expectations and a lot of pressure as one of the tournament’s hosts.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
He kept the wine for the inn in wineskins, enormous containers made out of animal skins.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
