loom large

Idioms  

1. Appear imminent in a threatening, magnified form. For example, The possibility of civil war loomed large on the horizon, or Martha wanted to take it easy for a week, but the bar exam loomed large. This term employs loom in the sense of “come into view,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

Given this history, Black constitutional understandings should loom large in any account of the original public meaning of the Reconstruction Amendments.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

Crews don’t always make it home; the 1986 Challenger space-shuttle disaster and the 2003 Columbia shuttle failure still loom large.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Among Catholics, the memory of the late pope Francis will loom large.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Healthcare costs loom large, too, as 81% said their retirement-related healthcare costs will be high.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

Slights loom large, and a reprimand can reverberate into the night.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich