tremendous

[trih-men-duhs]

adjective

1. extraordinarily great in size, amount, or intensity.

   a tremendous ocean liner; tremendous talent.

2. extraordinary in excellence.

   a tremendous movie.

3. dreadful or awful, as in character or effect; exciting fear; frightening; terrifying.

tremendous

/ trɪˈmɛndəs /

adjective

1. vast; huge

2. informal,  very exciting or unusual

3. informal,  (intensifier)

   a tremendous help

4. archaic,  terrible or dreadful

Other Word Forms

• tremendously adverb
• tremendousness noun
• untremendous adjective
• untremendousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tremendous¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin tremendus “dreadful, to be shaken by,” equivalent to trem(ere) “to shake, quake” + -endus gerund suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of tremendous¹

C17: from Latin tremendus terrible, literally: that is to be trembled at, from tremere to quake

Synonym Study

See huge.

Example Sentences

Later that day he sent me word that his family members were safe - a tremendous relief, but a temporary one.

From BBC

“When all of your neighbors are no longer here — or died — or living elsewhere and lost everything, it just feels like a tremendous amount of responsibility.”

From Los Angeles Times

Further, the state’s strict permitting requirements have given residents tremendous power to veto projects and created regulatory headaches.

From Los Angeles Times

Sir Terry later described the project as a "tremendous release", and the Royal Academy called it a "pop building, through its sheer abundance of metaphor".

From BBC

With the GOP controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, pressure on Democrats to avert a shutdown will be tremendous.

From Salon

Related Words

• amazing 
• astounding 
• awesome 
• colossal 
• dreadful 
• enormous 
• excellent 
• exceptional 
• extraordinary 
• fabulous 
• fantastic 
• formidable 
• great 
• immense 
• incredible 
• marvelous 
• massive 
• monumental 
• prodigious 
• terrible