large

[ lahrj ]

/ lɑrdʒ /

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See synonyms for: large / larger / largest / largeness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, larg·er, larg·est.

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.

on a great scale: a large producer of kitchen equipment.

of great scope or range; extensive; broad.

grand or pompous: a man given to large, bombastic talk.

(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.

famous; successful; important: He's very large in financial circles.

Obsolete. generous; bountiful; lavish.

Obsolete.

unrestrained in the use of language; gross; improper.
unrestrained in behavior or manner; uninhibited.

Nautical. free (def. 33).

noun

Music. the longest note in mensural notation.

Obsolete. generosity; bounty.

adverb

Nautical. with the wind free or abaft the beam so that all sails draw fully.

OTHER WORDS FOR large

1 huge, enormous, immense, gigantic, colossal; massive; vast.

See synonyms for large on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR large

1 small.

See antonyms for large on Thesaurus.com

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ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Idioms about large

at large,

free from restraint or confinement; at liberty: The murderer is still at large.
to a considerable extent; at length: to treat a subject at large.
as a whole; in general: the country at large.
Also at-large . representing the whole of a state, district, or body rather than one division or part of it: a delegate at large.
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.

in large, on a large scale; from a broad point of view: a problem seen in large.Also in the large .

Origin of large

1125–75; Middle English from Old French from Latin larga, feminine of largus “ample, generous”

OTHER WORDS FROM large

largeness, nouno·ver·large, adjectiveul·tra·large, adjectiveun·large, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH large

large , largess

Words nearby large

Laredo, Lares, lares and penates, Largactil, largando, large, large as life, Large Black, large calorie, large cane, large-cap

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WHEN TO USE

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.

How to use large in a sentence

In 2019, the AOS rejected an earlier proposal to rename the McCown’s longspur, in large part because there was no policy in place for changing a name based on offensiveness.
Inside the Movement to Abolish Colonialist Bird Names|Nathalie Alonso|February 12, 2021|Outside Online
In less than two years, SpaceX launched more than 1,000 new satellites for its Starlink constellation, becoming the world’s largest satellite operator and increasing the number of active satellites by nearly a third.
A flood of new SpaceX satellites has started a fight over space pollution|Tim Fernholz|February 11, 2021|Quartz
It directly reflects a set of larger problems facing helmet makers.
The Trek WaveCel Helmet Lawsuit, Explained|Joe Lindsey|February 10, 2021|Outside Online
A large part of the value comes from the number of other people on it.
Twenty-Six Words Created the Internet. What Will It Take to Save It?|Stephen Engelberg|February 9, 2021|ProPublica

In other large cities, from Los Angeles to Miami, there were parallel efforts to grow the sport but little coordination.
How break dancing made the leap from ’80s pop culture to the Olympic stage|Rick Maese|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
A fourth suspect, a 26-year-old woman named Hayat Boumeddiene, remains at large.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
However much we gossip about heterosexual couples with large age gaps, we at least refrain from calling them sex offenders.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I think a large majority of our fans are [other] nationalities.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Drugeon survived an airstrike last year and is believed to be still at large, officials have said.
U.S. Spies See Al Qaeda Fingerprints on Paris Massacre|Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Late Wednesday night, French authorities reported that Mourad had surrendered to police, while the two brothers remained at large.
Police Hunt for Paris Massacre Suspects|Tracy McNicoll, Christopher Dickey|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Jones swung round a large iron key he held in his hand, and light dawned upon him.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Sometimes in the case of large plants, cones have been known to occur on the tips of the branches of the Marsh Horsetail.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
The thought seemed to produce the dreaded object, for next moment a large hummock appeared right ahead.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
In the entrance hall of the Savoy, where large and lonely porters were dozing, he learnt that she was at home.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
His nose was hooked and rather large, his eyes were blue, bright as steel, and set a trifle wide.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for large

large

/ (lɑːdʒ) /

adjective

having a relatively great size, quantity, extent, etc; big

of wide or broad scope, capacity, or range; comprehensivea large effect

having or showing great breadth of understandinga large heart

nautical (of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction

rare overblown; pretentious

generous

obsolete (of manners and speech) gross; rude

noun

at large

(esp of a dangerous criminal or wild animal) free; not confined
roaming freely, as in a foreign country
as a whole; in general
in full detail; exhaustively
ambassador-at-large See ambassador (def. 4)

in large or in the large as a totality or on a broad scale

adverb

nautical with the wind blowing from a favourable direction

by and large

(sentence modifier) generally; as a ruleby and large, the man is the breadwinner
nautical towards and away from the wind

loom large to be very prominent or important

Derived forms of large

largeness, noun

Word Origin for large

C12 (originally: generous): via Old French from Latin largus ample, abundant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with large

large

see at large; big (large) as life; by and large; cog in the (a large) wheel; in some (large) measure; loom large; writ large.

large

OTHER WORDS FOR large

OPPOSITES FOR large

Idioms about large

Origin of large

OTHER WORDS FROM large

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH large

Words nearby large

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say large?

Words related to large

How to use large in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for large

Derived forms of large

Word Origin for large

Other Idioms and Phrases with large