Goliath

noun

Go·​li·​ath gə-ˈlī-əth How to pronounce Goliath (audio)
1
: a Philistine champion who in I Samuel 17 is killed by David
2
: giant

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 See More

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

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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