massive
adjective
consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.
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massive
1 American
[mas-iv]
/ ˈmæs ɪv /
adjective
-
consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.
massive columns.
-
large and heavy-looking.
a massive forehead.
-
large in scale, amount, or degree.
a massive breakdown in communications;
massive reductions in spending.
-
solid or substantial; great or imposing.
massive erudition.
-
Mineralogy. having no outward crystal form, although sometimes crystalline in internal structure.
Massive
2
American
[mas-iv]
/ ˈmæs ɪv /
noun
massive
British
/ ˈmæsɪv /
adjective
-
(of objects) large in mass; bulky, heavy, and usually solid
-
impressive or imposing in quality, degree, or scope
massive grief
-
relatively intensive or large; considerable
a massive dose
-
pathol affecting a large area of the body
a massive cancer
-
geology
-
(of igneous rocks) having no stratification, cleavage, etc; homogeneous
-
(of sedimentary rocks) arranged in thick poorly defined strata
-
-
mineralogy without obvious crystalline structure
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of massive
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ( see mass, -ive); replacing Middle English massif, from Middle French
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.
Vocabulary lists containing massive
Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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Number the Stars
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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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:
Judging by the massive turnout of people on the streets of Paris, the pontiff is off to a good start.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Von Schwarz told me that she’s been working in vertical dramas for a few years now, and in that time has already seen massive change happen within her work as the industry expands.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026
Just weeks after Hurricane Marie brought massive waves, flooding and destruction to the Long Beach peninsula, another tempest threatens the coastal enclave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The rise in Treasury yields could lead to double-digit interest rates for a massive set of junk-bond offerings planned to help SoftBank finance its AI investments.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Gabi grabs me and pulls me in for a massive hug when I get back to my seat, and I can’t help laughing.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Massive stars gradually shed material through powerful stellar winds.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026
Massive flooding killed eight people in Nepal on Wednesday as Chinese state media reported "major casualties" from a mudslide at a Tibet trade hub on China's side of the nations' shared border.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Massive spending commitments for data-center leases and chips aren’t shown on companies’ balance sheets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Massive Attack, which consists of Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall, described the event as a “surreal experience” in a post on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Massive containers were being loaded into clipper ships via cranes.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
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.
