large-scale
Americanadjective
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very extensive or encompassing; of great scope.
a large-scale business plan.
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made to a large scale.
a large-scale map.
adjective
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wide-ranging or extensive
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(of maps and models) constructed or drawn to a big scale
Etymology
Origin of large-scale
First recorded in 1885–90
Compare meaning
How does large-scale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Anything described as large-scale is happening in a big way. A large-scale study of the benefits of dark chocolate would require many people and lots of time. And lots of chocolate. Yum. Scale has to do with size, so anything large-scale is huge. A large-scale ad campaign goes all around the country — and maybe around the world. A large-scale military campaign is one that might attack on multiple fronts. Cartoon villains who want to take over the world commit large-scale crimes. A large-scale commercial farm is gigantic, cranking out tons of food. The opposite of large-scale is small-scale.
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.
In an industry report Thursday, Rosenblatt analyst John McPeake pointed out that other governments are making large-scale moves of their own.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
Finland's Border Guard has also announced a "large-scale investigation" into an education agency which had offered to help some 350 Burmese students enrol in vocational schools across Finland, between 2022 and 2025.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
These prolonged dry periods reduced water availability and made locations without dependable water sources less attractive for large-scale hunting activities.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
The compromised tank threatened to blow up, affecting adjacent tanks also containing the toxic chemical methyl methacrylate which could have caused a large-scale public safety emergency.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Moreover, in recent generations, foragers have been increasingly subject to the authority of modern states, which prevent the eruption of large-scale conflicts.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
