larger-than-life
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of larger-than-life
First recorded in 1945–50
Explanation
When something is larger-than-life, it seems more important or fascinating than anything else around it. An actor who is mild mannered and shy in person can seem larger-than-life when she's on the stage. You can use this term for something that's actually larger than usual, like Michelangelo's larger-than-life statue "David," which is three times as tall as the average man. It's also a good way to describe someone who is so flashy and flamboyant that they just seem to take up extra room: "My larger-than-life cousin makes every family gathering much more interesting."
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.
"Known for his uncompromising style of play and larger-than-life sense of humour, Joe has built a reputation as one of the UK's most entertaining sporting personalities," the corporation said.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
When I was 11, I would lock myself in my room and play the James Bond soundtracks with those lethal John Barry melodies and the larger-than-life voices of Shirley Bassey and Nancy Sinatra.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The biographical details may come from the author’s grandfather, but the character seems decidedly larger-than-life, a cross between Bruce Wayne, a Japanese ronin and an archetypal wandering Jew.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
In an era dominated by hyper-violent blockbusters and larger-than-life action spectacles, Indian filmmaker Imtiaz Ali believes young audiences are searching for something deeper -- love that lasts.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
These same internal stirrings also predisposed him to regard all perfectly symmetrical narratives or stories preaching an obvious moral message and populated by larger-than-life heroes as utter fabrications.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
