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:
"What was surprising and unexpected was how small changes in these domains could have such large effects," Barber said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
The NHC warned of the storm surge Hurricane Polo could unleash, which it said could be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
The operation was so large that independent researchers who reviewed the incident under an agreement with OpenAI, said they had to rely on AI to analyze it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Those profits have been promised to go, in large part, to support youth sports programs in Southern California for years to come.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
There was a small potato cellar beneath the kitchen floor: they enlarged the trapdoor letting into it, put a large rug on top of it, and moved the kitchen table to stand on this spot.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
But the universe outside our observable patch could be vastly larger.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
The Dutch economist’s concern is that a narrow focus on Europe’s problems without acknowledging its strengths is making businesses wary and pushing households to build ever larger savings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
In short, interest is added on a larger and larger pot as time goes by.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
The notice, he said, should have gone out to a larger group, considering that the project could affect communities miles away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 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
The oil-and-gas sector represents about a fifth of the country’s exports, making it the largest contributor, according to Statistics Canada.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
It is rare for the leaders of the world's two largest economies to meet so frequently.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
This is likely the largest buyback authorization in U.S. corporate history.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Student-led demonstrations calling for transparent investigations drew hundreds of thousands to the streets in the largest protests since the Milosevic era.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
On April 2, the nation’s largest subprime mortgage lender, New Century, was swamped by defaults and filed for bankruptcy.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
