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
-
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:
Data centres require large amounts of electricity, placing increased pressure on grids often still reliant on fossil fuels.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026
When he returned about 13:00, within 15 minutes a large number of emergency crews had arrived.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
LangChain’s aim is to help large companies build, manage and deploy their own AI agents, said Harrison Chase, the San Francisco-based startup’s co-founder and chief executive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
Here are four questions to figure out if betting on a vaccine is a good idea: How large is the market?
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
A couple of large dogs prowled for scraps.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
With vaccines we have the opportunity to tap into new and even larger markets beyond the obvious.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
Her sculptures now are quite literally larger than life, and she considers them superrealism, a step beyond hyperrealism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026
It provides roughly 30 times the resolution of IllustrisTNG while covering a region 100 times larger in volume than previous leading simulations.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
At larger scales, plasma moves much like a fluid.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
Three more large quakes, each larger than magnitude 6, followed that same day.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
For years, the nation’s largest cancer-fighting organization advised men to decide with their doctors whether to test for prostate cancer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
The company also announced Thursday that it had cut its debt by 10.8 percent to 25.1 billion euros by the end of September, its largest reduction since 2021.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026
Information jobs in the state have suffered the largest percentage downturn of any category, down 16.8%, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026
Inspiration for La Défense can come from Washington DC and New York City, where tax cuts for property developers are fuelling the largest amount of office to apartment conversions in the US.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
In fact, the Meadow River Lumber Company operated the world’s largest sawmill not too far away, along the Meadow River between the Sewell and Simms Mountains, at the western edge of Greenbrier County.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
