large
Americanadjective
-
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
-
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.
noun
-
Music. the longest note in mensural notation.
-
Obsolete. generosity; bounty.
adverb
idioms
-
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: Also in the large
a problem seen in large.
adjective
-
having a relatively great size, quantity, extent, etc; big
-
of wide or broad scope, capacity, or range; comprehensive
a large effect
-
having or showing great breadth of understanding
a large heart
-
nautical (of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction
-
rare overblown; pretentious
-
generous
-
obsolete (of manners and speech) gross; rude
noun
-
-
(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
-
See ambassador
-
-
as a totality or on a broad scale
adverb
-
nautical with the wind blowing from a favourable direction
-
-
(sentence modifier) generally; as a rule
by and large, the man is the breadwinner
-
nautical towards and away from the wind
-
-
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:
Since taking the helm of the tech giant, he has made big structural moves and placed large bets on technologies including quantum computing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Since 15 June, most of England has recorded less than 10mm of rain with large areas of central southern England seeing 3mm or less.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Bessent specifically referred to the distillation process, saying US authorities were "finding watermarks of our US large language models on many of the Chinese models, and that's unacceptable."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
So what should you do when facing a suspiciously large salary range?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Auntie Bernadette had finished mixing her large bowl and washed her hands.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The spending is part of a larger race across the tech sector to stay competitive amid soaring demand for computing power.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Huwel Manley, NRW head of operations for south west Wales, said a number of watercourses were drying up and "even larger rivers are running at lower flows than usual".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
They planned to stay in the three-bedroom home for five years or so, and then move to a larger one.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Even though El Niño brings hotter and drier conditions to the north, researchers haven’t conclusively found it leads to larger or more frequent fires.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
In just a few years, it will grow by thirty combat divisions and one hundred aircraft squadrons, and its navy will be larger and stronger than the navies of the United States and Britain combined.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The conglomerate, which is now South Korea’s largest telecommunications player, said this month the license was granted lawfully and based on merit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Stickers and car decals featuring Wang Wang and her puppies have also been put up for sale on China's largest e-commerce platform Taobao.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
IBM shares fell 25% in a single day last week after that warning, in what marked their largest one-day decline on record.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The 37-page lawsuit filed by the state attorneys general alleges that Paramount’s proposed takeover — the largest Hollywood deal in decades — would violate the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Mima serves him first and gives him the largest portions.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
