great

[ greyt ]

/ greɪt /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR great ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, great·er, great·est.

unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions: A great fire destroyed nearly half the city.

large in number; numerous: Great hordes of tourists descend on Europe each summer.

unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity, etc.: great pain.

wonderful; first-rate; very good: We had a great time. That's great!

being such in an extreme or notable degree: great friends; a great talker.

notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding: a great occasion.

important; highly significant or consequential: the great issues in American history.

distinguished; famous: a great inventor.

of noble or lofty character: great thoughts.

chief or principal: the great hall; his greatest novel.

of high rank, official position, or social standing: a great noble.

much in use or favor: “Humor” was a great word with the old physiologists.

of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable: a great statesman.

of considerable duration or length: We waited a great while for the train.

Informal.

enthusiastic about some specified activity (usually followed by at, for, or on): He's great on reading poetry aloud.
skillful; expert (usually followed by at or on): He's great at golf.

being of one generation more remote from the family relative specified (used in combination): a great-grandson.

adverb

Informal. very well: Things have been going great for him.

noun, plural greats, (especially collectively) great.

a person who has achieved importance or distinction in a field: She is one of the theater's greats.

great persons, collectively: England's literary great.

(often initial capital letter) greats, (used with a singular verb) Also called great go. British Informal.

the final examination for the bachelor's degree in the classics and mathematics, or Literae Humaniores, especially at Oxford University and usually for honors.
the course of study.
the subject studied.

interjection

(used to express acceptance, appreciation, approval, admiration, etc.).

(used ironically or facetiously to express disappointment, annoyance, distress, etc.): Great! We just missed the last train home.

Nearby words

greasewood, greasies, greasy, greasy spoon, greasy wool, great, great abaco, great ajax, great alföld, great ape, great attractor

Idioms

great with child, being in the late stages of pregnancy.

Origin of great

before 900; Middle English greet, Old English grēat; cognate with Dutch groot, German gross

SYNONYMS FOR great

1 immense, enormous, gigantic, huge, vast, grand. Great, big, large refer to size, extent, and degree. In reference to the size and extent of concrete objects, big is the most general and most colloquial word, large is somewhat more formal, and great is highly formal and even poetic, suggesting also that the object is notable or imposing: a big tree; a large tree; a great oak; a big field; a large field; great plains. When the reference is to degree or a quality, great is the usual word: great beauty; great mistake; great surprise; although big sometimes alternates with it in colloquial style: a big mistake; a big surprise; large is not used in reference to degree, but may be used in a quantitative reference: a large number ( great number ).

6 noteworthy.

7 weighty, serious, momentous, vital, critical.

8 famed, eminent, noted, notable, prominent, renowned.

9 elevated, exalted, dignified.

10 main, grand, leading.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR great ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR great

1 small.

6–8, 10, 11, 14 insignificant.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR great ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

great·ness, nounhalf-great, adjectiveo·ver·great, adjectiveo·ver·great·ly, adverb

o·ver·great·ness, nounqua·si-great, adjectivequa·si-great·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for great

Tend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It would became one of the first great mysteries in the United States of America, as it was only then 23 years old.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately, this is more about protecting the legacy of a ‘great man.’
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Great American leaders have long contributed profound thoughts of tremendous consequence to the public discourse.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

“He turned pale, trembled to a great degree, was much agitated, and began to cry,” she told the court.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the porch he paused a moment, to draw on his woollen gloves, and button his great coat, and for something besides.
Gifts of Genius|Various
The Great Man is, I suppose, among the most difficult themes to treat convincingly in fiction.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, May 7, 1919.|Various
His arms were growing heavy with fatigue, his mouth was parched, and great beads of perspiration stood upon his brow.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
It was a hope which came from something one of the great poets of the past had said, in prophecy.
How to Tell Stories to Children|Sara Cone Bryant
You have great influence with the children, I have remarked many times.
Rossmoyne|Unknown

British Dictionary definitions for great

great

/ (ɡreɪt) /

adjective

relatively large in size or extent; big

relatively large in number; having many parts or membersa great assembly

of relatively long durationa great wait

of larger size or more importance than others of its kindthe great auk

extreme or more than usualgreat worry

of significant importance or consequencea great decision

of exceptional talents or achievements; remarkablea great writer
(as noun)the great; one of the greats

arising from or possessing idealism in thought, action, etc; heroicgreat deeds

illustrious or eminenta great history

impressive or strikinga great show of wealth

much in use; favouredpoetry was a great convention of the Romantic era

active or enthusiastica great walker

doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scalewhat a great buffoon; he's not a great one for reading

(often foll by at) skilful or adroita great carpenter; you are great at singing

informal excellent; fantastic

British informal (intensifier)a dirty great smack in the face

(postpositive foll by with) archaic

pregnantgreat with child
full (of)great with hope

(intensifier, used in mild oaths)Great Scott!

be great on informal

to be informed about
to be enthusiastic about or for