tremendous

adjective

tre·​men·​dous tri-ˈmen-dəs 

1

a

: notable by reason of extreme size, power, greatness, or excellence

tremendous problems

a writer of tremendous talent

—often used as a generalized term of approval

had a tremendous time

b

: unusually large : huge

a tremendous number of people

2

: being such as may excite trembling or arouse dread, awe, or terror

tremendousness noun

Synonyms of tremendous

• huge
• enormous
• vast
• gigantic
• massive
• immense
• giant
• colossal
• monumental
• astronomical
• mammoth

Choose the Right Synonym for tremendous

monstrous, prodigious, tremendous, stupendous mean extremely impressive.

monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.

the monstrous waste of the project

prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

Examples of tremendous in a Sentence

He has a tremendous amount of energy.

The engine's power is tremendous.

She is a writer of tremendous talent.

We had a tremendous time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Campbell and Silva’s teammates pouring praise toward her has provided a tremendous boost to her confidence. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026

Separately, the indictment says, Rivera also met that same day in New York with Sessions and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, who wielded tremendous influence over Venezuela’s oil industry. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026

Goldman, who also serves as the American College of Physicians’ liaison to ACIP, said that if and when the group moves forward, there will be a tremendous accumulation of work. —Erika Edwards, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026

The musical is based on the tremendous Tim Burton movie of the same name from 1988, which starred Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara and, of course, Michael Keaton in the title role. —Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin tremendus, from gerundive of tremere

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for tremendous

• horrendous
• stupendous
• rendus

Kids Definition

tremendous

adjective

tre·​men·​dous tri-ˈmen-dəs 

1

: causing dread, awe, or terror : dreadful

2

: astonishing because of great size, excellence, or power

tremendous problems

a writer of tremendous talent

tremendously adverb