large-scale

American  

[lahrj-skeyl] / ˈlɑrdʒˈskeɪl /

adjective

1. very extensive or encompassing; of great scope.

   a large-scale business plan.

2. made to a large scale.

   a large-scale map.

---

large-scale British  

adjective

1. wide-ranging or extensive

2. (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:

• large-scale vs. small-scale

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

But for a variety of psychological and emotional reasons, this is unlikely to happen on a large scale.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

That would require investment on a large scale, however, and clearly remains a long way off.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

The Cold War was on, India and Pakistan had just been at war, and in Vietnam the U.S. was shifting to large scale combat deployment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

The supplement uses amino acids that are already produced at large scale and are considered safe.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

His invisible companion seemed to breathe on a very large scale, and Shasta got the impression that it was a very large creature.

From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis

Related Words

• extensive
• huge
• large
• massive
• sizable
• substantial