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
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.
It’s an enormous advantage not to be on the stock exchange.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
That improvement means Roman should be capable of producing even sharper images than its designers initially expected, strengthening its ability to carry out detailed observations across enormous regions of the sky.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
The findings challenge the assumption that birds traveling enormous distances must have wings optimized primarily for efficient long-distance flight.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Commandant Phoenix said the preparation for the offensive was "enormous".
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
To his enormous relief, Mr. Sigel waved his hand to announce it was time to go back inside.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
