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.
An enormous pool anchors the backyard, and the home’s hilltop perch offers stunning views of the surrounding area.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026
But there was a problem: For the most part, they didn’t have access to the enormous pool of money maintained by banks and the other investment marketplaces.
From Salon • Jan. 28, 2025
“And so there’s an enormous pool of people that are presumably breaking this law every day and face up to 15 years in prison if they were caught.”
From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2023
Lawmakers expect prolonged debate over how to best use an enormous pool of cash at policymakers’ disposal.
From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2022
But at midday, beneath the pitiless rays of the equatorial sun, it resembles an enormous pool of molten brass, the illusion being heightened by the heat-waves which flicker and dance above it.
From Where the Strange Trails Go Down Sulu, Borneo, Celebes, Bali, Java, Sumatra, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Cambodia, Annam, Cochin-China by Powell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)
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.
