colossal

adjective

co·​los·​sal kə-ˈlä-səl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a colossus

colossal statues

2

: of a bulk, extent, power, or effect approaching or suggesting the stupendous or incredible

colossal rock formations

colossal stellar explosions

3

: of an exceptional or astonishing degree

a colossal failure

a colossal bore

colossal ambition

colossally

kə-ˈlä-sə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of colossal

• gigantic
• huge
• enormous
• giant
• vast
• massive
• tremendous
• mammoth
• monumental
• immense
• astronomical
• titanic
• monstrous

Choose the Right Synonym for colossal

enormous, immense, huge, vast, gigantic, colossal, mammoth mean exceedingly large.

enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.

an enormous expense

an immense shopping mall

huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Examples of colossal in a Sentence

a colossal statue of the town's founder

Recent Examples on the Web

Three colossal planks of sandstone, ranging in height from fifteen feet nine inches to eighteen feet eight inches, rise from the grass, along with a smaller stone that has the bent shape of a boomerang. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

The second Lamborghini released under Audi (the first was the 2001 Murciélago), the Gallardo was a smaller sibling powered by a V-10, and became a colossal success. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2025

By November, though snow is already flying at higher elevations across the country, national snow attention often turns downwind of the Great Lakes, for the colossal lake-effect snowstorms that can pummel western New York under feet of snow. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025

From flaming surfaces to raging storms, and colossal cliffs to icy fissures, each of these locations has a unique hazard. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see colossus

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for colossal

• apostle
• hydrocele
• nitrosyl
• subbasal
• docile
• fossil
• jostle
• hypoglossal
• nannofossil

Kids Definition

colossal

adjective

co·​los·​sal kə-ˈläs-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a colossus

especially : of very great size

a colossal office building

2

: extraordinary, exceptional

colossal growth

a colossal failure

colossally

-ə-lē 

adverb