large
Americanadjective
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larger,
comparative
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largest
superlative
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of more than average size, quantity, degree, etc.; exceeding that which is common to a kind or class; big; great.
a large house; a large number; in large measure; to a large extent.
- Antonyms:
- small
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on a great scale.
a large producer of kitchen equipment.
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of great scope or range; extensive; broad.
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grand or pompous.
a man given to large, bombastic talk.
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(of a map, model, etc.) representing the features of the original with features of its own that are relatively large so that great detail may be shown.
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famous; successful; important.
He's very large in financial circles.
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Obsolete. generous; bountiful; lavish.
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Obsolete.
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unrestrained in the use of language; gross; improper.
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unrestrained in behavior or manner; uninhibited.
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Nautical. free.
noun
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Music. the longest note in mensural notation.
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Obsolete. generosity; bounty.
adverb
idioms
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at large,
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free from restraint or confinement; at liberty.
The murderer is still at large.
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to a considerable extent; at length.
to treat a subject at large.
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as a whole; in general.
the country at large.
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Also at-large representing the whole of a state, district, or body rather than one division or part of it.
a delegate at large.
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Also at-large having a general, as opposed to a specific, role in an organization or project.
She’s the magazine’s editor-at-large.
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in large, on a large scale; from a broad point of view: Also in the large
a problem seen in large.
adjective
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having a relatively great size, quantity, extent, etc; big
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of wide or broad scope, capacity, or range; comprehensive
a large effect
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having or showing great breadth of understanding
a large heart
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nautical (of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction
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rare overblown; pretentious
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generous
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obsolete (of manners and speech) gross; rude
noun
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(esp of a dangerous criminal or wild animal) free; not confined
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roaming freely, as in a foreign country
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as a whole; in general
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in full detail; exhaustively
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See ambassador
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as a totality or on a broad scale
adverb
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nautical with the wind blowing from a favourable direction
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(sentence modifier) generally; as a rule
by and large, the man is the breadwinner
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nautical towards and away from the wind
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to be very prominent or important
Usage
What are other ways to say large?
Something that is large is of more than average size, quantity, or degree. How does large compare to great and big? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of large
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin larga, feminine of largus “ample, generous”
Explanation
Large means the size of an item, such as clothing, that falls between medium and extra-large. If you realize your size has changed from medium to large, it might be time to cut back on the cupcakes. Something that is above average in size or number can be described with the adjective large. Your large collection of bottle caps, which covers the walls of three rooms in your house, is a perfect example. Large also describes something that covers a broad spectrum or scope. You might love being an American studies major because your classes cover a large range of topics.
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.
See Examples For:
Wealth advisers are pitching their philanthropy know-how to attract young AI millionaires who want to donate large portions of their wealth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
"Can you believe it?," a commentator said as large crowds cheered at the launch site in Texas.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
When the software identified ED138, Holman quickly realized that its apparent brightness and enormous distance pointed to something unusually large.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
Witnesses reported people being knocked down by the water and running away from the particularly large waves that hit periodically.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2026
Indeed, the badger was a shining achievement of nature, and everything from his unchipped teeth to his large eyes gleamed with the knowledge of it.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Joe Whelan, head gardener at Nymans in Handcross, warned another year of drought could be "quite detrimental" on larger, more mature trees.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
"Climate change has been identified as probably a larger contributor to the declines of salmon runs in on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
Measurements of how galaxies and larger structures form and grow will be particularly important.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
Icons of Japanese modernism are being demolished one after the other, often to make way for larger, more profitable structures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
No one did get Twitch’s meaning exactly, but they all understood that there was now a larger group of friends, which left everyone feeling a buzz of excitement for the possibilities that might follow.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Saturday's latest fine is among the largest an Italian authority has ever imposed on a tech giant.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
Two years ago, he addressed the Business Council, made up of CEOs of the largest U.S. companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Last month, Meta, which is also behind Instagram and WhatsApp, was hit with its largest fine ever for its business practices.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
Chemical analysis revealed that the oil's fatty acid composition remained consistent across the different experimental conditions, with linoleic and palmitic acids making up the largest shares.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
He draws my attention to the two largest photos on that wall.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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