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:
Originally envisioned by economists decades ago, perpetual futures contracts were first launched on offshore crypto-native platforms, where they eventually gained a large user base of traders.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
Guerra said it was astounding that such a large city government — with a $14.8-billion budget and more than 5,500 public works employees — was so behind on fixing streetlights and resurfacing roads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Despite boasting large Black populations, Senate seats in South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana have long been out of reach for Democrats.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
Recent accidents in Spain have caused a large number of deaths and injuries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Before I knew it, he had gotten down from the table and was juggling with two large pine-cones he’d found on the windowsill.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
But French’s larger, statewide victory would be a significant sign.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
Its larger companion, Didymos, is approximately 780 meters in diameter, slightly smaller than the height of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
The director was originally concerned the scrappy little show with a cast of five wouldn’t play as well in larger houses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
CVR is currently the seventh-biggest publicly traded refiner in the U.S., after giants including Marathon, Valero Energy and Phillips 66, about 20 times larger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
The two of them split from the larger group of girls and head straight for me.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
China now has the world’s largest navy, with a battle force of more than 400 ships and submarines, according to official U.S. numbers seen by The Wall Street Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Initial findings published by the company, which operates the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, said hackers gained access to its systems through "sophisticated, multi-stage campaign".
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The largest contingent of 1,100 troops will come from France, with the UK deploying 300 soldiers.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Mississippi has the largest population of Black voters of any state in the country.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
It was the largest invasion fleet the world had ever known, made up of at least thirty thousand soldiers and approximately two hundred ships.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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