immensity
Americannoun
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vastness; enormous extent.
the immensity of the Roman empire.
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the state or condition of being immense.
noun
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the state or quality of being immense; vastness; enormity
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enormous expanse, distance, or volume
the immensity of space
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informal a huge amount
an immensity of wealth
Etymology
Origin of immensity
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word immēnsitās. See immense, -ity
Explanation
Immensity is hugeness. When something is so large or numerous you can hardly believe it, it has the quality of immensity.. Something enormous is immense, and the quality of being immense is immensity. This is a strong word for truly gigantic things and creatures. You might, for example, comment on the immensity of the Grand Canyon, or the immensity of the night sky as seen from a boat on the sea. The noun immensity comes from the Latin word immensitatem, "immeasurableness." In other words, if it's too big to be measured, it has the quality of immensity.
Vocabulary lists containing immensity
"Your World," Vocabulary from the poem
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The Distance Between Us
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Selected Short Stories of Flannery O'Connor
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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.
Fraser’s explosive performance underlines the immensity of the stakes, balancing every precarious element of this enormous mission.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
The CX-90 steps away from the brink of immensity, which I think is a good thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
"I don't think I quite understood the immensity of winning an Olympic gold and what it meant," Scott continued.
From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2025
By returning to us, "Pachinko" gives us more of a sense of that immensity in ways we previously may not have thought possible.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2024
Werner walks home oblivious to the rain, trying to absorb the immensity of what has happened.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
