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
Just don’t try to sell him on a David vs. Goliath matchup.
—
Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2023
The longer the conflict continues, the more the David and Goliath struggle of its early days will fade into the background, fueling a perception of futility and bolstering calls to find at least a cosmetic solution.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2023
Two in the display are Goliath, a 16-foot-tall deer, giraffe and eagle, and Lacuarium, a seahorse-meets-dragon creation.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023
The thrilling, modern David vs. Goliath tale stars Paul Dano, America Ferrera, Shailene Woodley, Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2023
Realistic Dutch scenes as well as tall tales involving farms, flowers, ships at sea, mermen, and David and Goliath can be found on these tiles.
—Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2023
Styling itself as a David to the Western Goliath, Russia has cultivated a wartime soft power that resonates.
—Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2023
The David and Goliath struggle felt immediate, not theoretical.
—Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
That political appeal works, although the anti-ESG category remains a David to the ESG’s Goliath: By mid-2023, anti-ESG funds had about $2.42 billion in assets under management, Morningstar reported, 100 times smaller than funds that did integrate ESG factors ($313.4 billion).
—Peter Vanham, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2023
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Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2023
The longer the conflict continues, the more the David and Goliath struggle of its early days will fade into the background, fueling a perception of futility and bolstering calls to find at least a cosmetic solution.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2023
Two in the display are Goliath, a 16-foot-tall deer, giraffe and eagle, and Lacuarium, a seahorse-meets-dragon creation.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023
The thrilling, modern David vs. Goliath tale stars Paul Dano, America Ferrera, Shailene Woodley, Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2023
Realistic Dutch scenes as well as tall tales involving farms, flowers, ships at sea, mermen, and David and Goliath can be found on these tiles.
—Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2023
Styling itself as a David to the Western Goliath, Russia has cultivated a wartime soft power that resonates.
—Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2023
The David and Goliath struggle felt immediate, not theoretical.
—Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
That political appeal works, although the anti-ESG category remains a David to the ESG’s Goliath: By mid-2023, anti-ESG funds had about $2.42 billion in assets under management, Morningstar reported, 100 times smaller than funds that did integrate ESG factors ($313.4 billion).
—Peter Vanham, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2023
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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
Articles Related to Goliath
Dictionary Entries Near Goliath
Cite this Entry
“Goliath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Goliath. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on Goliath
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Goliath
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