Goliath

noun

Go·​li·​ath gə-ˈlī-əth How to pronounce Goliath (audio)
1
: a Philistine champion who in I Samuel 17 is killed by David
2
: giant

Examples of Goliath in a Sentence

the family-owned company lost the contract to a multibillion-dollar Goliath
Recent Examples on the Web All went as planned for Goliath but for one tiny, itsy-bitsy detail. Judith Regan, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024 The story of David and Goliath aside, given the huge profits that the fossil fuel industry has been realizing, is there a mismatch between the companies and climate activists? Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024 Abruzzo described a back-and-forth that’s not unlike a David and Goliath story, if Goliath was simply trying to run out the clock and leave David high and dry. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024 As a tour guide lectures on Caravaggio’s David With the Head of Goliath, Tom Ripley drifts toward the painting. Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024 Harassment comes in many shapes and forms but the harassment that takes place here is a type that’s there, openly visible to all: David vs Goliath. John Hopewell, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024 But, in March of 2021, the undisputed Goliath of women's college basketball, UConn, was too much. Becky Sullivan, NPR, 2 Apr. 2024 But first, Valenzuela and his cofounders must fight Silicon Valley’s reigning AI Goliath. Kylie Robison, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024 Enormous canvases depict David conquering Goliath, Cupid in the clouds with his gilded bow, a peasant woman looking out to sea and a mother teaching her child to read. Emily Labarge, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Goliath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew Golyath

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Goliath was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Goliath

Cite this Entry

“Goliath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Goliath. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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