Goliath
noun
Go·li·ath
gə-ˈlī-əth 
1
: a Philistine champion who in I Samuel 17 is killed by David
2
: giant
Synonyms
Examples of Goliath in a Sentence
the family-owned company lost the contract to a multibillion-dollar Goliath
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Winning the airport contract was a David vs. Goliath story.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
And that’s where this Goliath versus Goliath battle gets interesting.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Realize that despite all the legend and lore and heart-stirring music, this tourney filled with Davids is ultimately a grab for Goliath.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
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
Winning the airport contract was a David vs. Goliath story.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
And that’s where this Goliath versus Goliath battle gets interesting.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Realize that despite all the legend and lore and heart-stirring music, this tourney filled with Davids is ultimately a grab for Goliath.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 20 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
Phrases Containing Goliath
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Dictionary Entries Near Goliath
Cite this Entry
“Goliath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Goliath. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on Goliath
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Goliath
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