: relating to or being a political representative who is elected to serve an entire area rather than one of its subdivisions
an at-large city councilor
an at-large election

Examples of at-large in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cotham trailed fellow at-large incumbents Leigh Altman and Arthur Griffin and challenger Yvette Townsend-Ingram, the director of foundation relations at Johnson C. Smith University. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2024 Some communities, like Wyandotte County, the most racially diverse in the state, include at-large seats alongside districts in local government. Katie Bernard, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Colorado is hoping to win enough games to secure a host assignment for the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, while WSU, Arizona and Washington are attempting to lock down at-large bids. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 That was in addition to the 12 at-large delegates Trump won in Michigan's Republican primary Tuesday. CBS News, 2 Mar. 2024 Nebraska and Butler move into the very edge of the at-large pool, replacing Colorado and Gonzaga. Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 The Hotline’s official Over/Under for total number of Pac-12 bids — both automatic and at-large — is a paltry 2.5. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 If Boise State does not win that, its at-large chances could hinge on the final three regular season games: home vs. New Mexico and Nevada, and at San Diego State. Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 18 Feb. 2024 Freshman forward Brandon Williams acknowledged thinking about the tournament amid his team’s recent push to secure one of 36 at-large bids. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of at-large was in 1962

Dictionary Entries Near at-large

Cite this Entry

“At-large.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at-large. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!