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:
Benin's efforts have already borne fruit after it introduced a policy based on building new, modern markets and reorganising large commercial areas.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
The new Pizzamania will operate in the front area of the large Maggie’s Pub building, while the pub will move operations into the banquet hall, Barritt said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The ferry set off at 17:20, bound for Troon, but during this journey a large and uncontrolled release of gas occurred from a small vent at the side of the ship.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
A key reason for the selection was a rule-change that allowed SpaceX and other large newly public companies to join the Nasdaq-100 index months sooner than usual.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
So it went for an hour, large bouquets and small ones, elaborate set pieces and home-grown plants in clay pots.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
While the warming phase is a natural phenomenon, scientists believe the human-caused heating of the climate could make its effects much larger.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
It also showed me a larger, broader landscape and a way of thinking existed, not just for Springsteen, but for all of the other music I was listening to.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
“We see elevated upside potential in some scenarios, although we think other stocks in the sector offer more attractive risk-reward and trade on larger discounts to long-term average enterprise value valuation multiples,” RBC says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
But at the same time, many of Lake’s financial decisions are possible because he isn’t signed to a larger label.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
He leads me toward a stack of wooden boxes, all only slightly larger than the one the humans used to move me.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
The largest hydropower project hit in the August disaster was the 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli 1, whose backers had commissioned extensive technical evaluations before breaking ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Earlier on Tuesday, Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address that his country's pivot away from the US as its largest trading partner "will come at a cost".
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Heathrow Airport, Britain's largest and busiest airport, in west London, confirmed it was among those affected on Tuesday, along with Gatwick to the south of the UK capital.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
“Today, Walmart remains the most important physical retailer, is one of the largest digital-advertising platforms in the U.S. and the leading retail media network outside Amazon,” the analysts said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Instead of answering, Nicole led him to the only building they hadn’t been in, which was by far the largest.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
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.
