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• massive
  massive

  adjective

  consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.
• Massive
  Massive

  noun

  Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

massive

¹ American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

adjective

1. 

   consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.

   massive columns.

2. large and heavy-looking.

   a massive forehead.

3. large in scale, amount, or degree.

   a massive breakdown in communications;

   massive reductions in spending.

4. solid or substantial; great or imposing.

   massive erudition.

5. Mineralogy. having no outward crystal form, although sometimes crystalline in internal structure.

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Massive ² American  

[mas-iv] / ˈmæs ɪv /

noun

1. Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

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massive British  

/ ˈmæsɪv /

adjective

1. (of objects) large in mass; bulky, heavy, and usually solid

2. impressive or imposing in quality, degree, or scope

   massive grief

3. relatively intensive or large; considerable

   a massive dose

4. pathol affecting a large area of the body

   a massive cancer

5. geology

   1. (of igneous rocks) having no stratification, cleavage, etc; homogeneous

   2. (of sedimentary rocks) arranged in thick poorly defined strata

6. mineralogy without obvious crystalline structure

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noun

1. slang a group of friends or associates; gang

   the Staines massive

Other Word Forms

• massiveness
  noun
• massivity
  noun
• massively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of massive

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ( see mass, -ive); replacing Middle English massif, from Middle French

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Explanation

Massive means enormous. Obviously, Mt. Everest is massive, but a massive budget cut isn't necessarily big in physical mass; it's something that is imposing in scale or power. A massive budget cut can do a lot of damage. Unless someone is referring to your intellect, massive is not a word you want used in a description of your attributes. Massive is a nice one to trot out when huge, gigantic, and enormous sound too over-the-top. Politicians use it often. Massive could also be the best way to describe the wave you surfed on your Hawaiian vacation or the size of the fish you nearly caught on that trip with your friends.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

massive Massive

The situation has understandably provoked massive concern among those trying to make a living.

From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026

That includes erecting a massive electronic sign on its facade intended to bring a flavor of Times Square to Figueroa Street.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026

The massive boom in artificial intelligence, meanwhile, has become a surprising source of inflation.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

The head of the big UGT labour union, Pepe Álvarez, said the strike was a success with "massive" participation, while Unai Sordo of the CC OO union said turnout was "very significant."

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2026

I watch the massive water bubbles churn nebulously as Autumn, Ama, and Woo struggle.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Massive data-center spending has been fueling economic growth all year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Massive demand for AI chips delivered record quarterly profits to South Korea's Samsung Electronics on Thursday, but shares fell as investors questioned the resilience of the global tech boom.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

The 32-year-old announced his Proper Massive Stadium Tour earlier this week, which will visit Newcastle, Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Manchester in summer 2027.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Massive teams of engineers and scientists — including personnel from Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory — have worked for over a decade to develop the $4.3-billion telescope.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Massive containers were being loaded into clipper ships via cranes.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

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Related Words

• big
• colossal
• enormous
• extensive
• gargantuan
• gigantic
• grand
• great
• heavy
• hefty
• huge
• immense
• imposing
• impressive
• mammoth
• monumental
• substantial
• towering
• tremendous
• vast

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