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• massive
  massive

  adjective

  consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.
• Massive
  Massive

  noun

  Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

massive

¹ American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

adjective

1. 

   consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.

   massive columns.

2. large and heavy-looking.

   a massive forehead.

3. large in scale, amount, or degree.

   a massive breakdown in communications;

   massive reductions in spending.

4. solid or substantial; great or imposing.

   massive erudition.

5. Mineralogy. having no outward crystal form, although sometimes crystalline in internal structure.

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Massive ² American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

noun

1. Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

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massive British  

/ ˈmæsɪv /

adjective

1. (of objects) large in mass; bulky, heavy, and usually solid

2. impressive or imposing in quality, degree, or scope

   massive grief

3. relatively intensive or large; considerable

   a massive dose

4. pathol affecting a large area of the body

   a massive cancer

5. geology

   1. (of igneous rocks) having no stratification, cleavage, etc; homogeneous

   2. (of sedimentary rocks) arranged in thick poorly defined strata

6. mineralogy without obvious crystalline structure

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noun

1. slang a group of friends or associates; gang

   the Staines massive

Other Word Forms

• massiveness
  noun
• massivity
  noun
• massively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of massive

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ( see mass, -ive); replacing Middle English massif, from Middle French

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Explanation

Massive means enormous. Obviously, Mt. Everest is massive, but a massive budget cut isn't necessarily big in physical mass; it's something that is imposing in scale or power. A massive budget cut can do a lot of damage. Unless someone is referring to your intellect, massive is not a word you want used in a description of your attributes. Massive is a nice one to trot out when huge, gigantic, and enormous sound too over-the-top. Politicians use it often. Massive could also be the best way to describe the wave you surfed on your Hawaiian vacation or the size of the fish you nearly caught on that trip with your friends.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

massive Massive

The massive boom in artificial intelligence, meanwhile, has become a surprising source of inflation.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

The building collapse on Wednesday in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn prompted a massive emergency response from approximately 250 firefighters and rescue workers.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026

Villarreal: Jay, you’re playing a guy who directed a massive studio underdog story but had to shoot it like an indie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026

It sparked a massive search-and-rescue operation, with more than 250 first responders at the scene in Brooklyn, trying to find survivors who may have been trapped under the rubble of the three-storey building.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026

He and his traders did this quickly, and apparently without a great deal of discussion, in half a dozen or so massive trades, with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank and a few others.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Massive demand for AI chips delivered record quarterly profits to South Korea's Samsung Electronics on Thursday, but shares fell as investors questioned the resilience of the global tech boom.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Massive profit forecasts have helped chip makers dominate the stock market this year, but the trade has decidedly cooled down, for now.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Massive stars gradually shed material through powerful stellar winds.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

Massive floods and landslides swept through border towns and villages in Nepal and Tibet, wiping out thousands of houses, destroying energy infrastructure and leaving thousands dead or missing.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Massive columns rose to a domed ceiling, which was gilded with moving constellations.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

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Related Words

• big
• colossal
• enormous
• extensive
• gargantuan
• gigantic
• grand
• great
• heavy
• hefty
• huge
• immense
• imposing
• impressive
• mammoth
• monumental
• substantial
• towering
• tremendous
• vast

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