outsize

1 of 2

noun

out·​size ˈau̇t-ˌsīz 

: an unusual size

especially : a size larger than the standard

Nightgowns are generally made in three sizes—small, medium and outsize.

—Amy K. Smith

outsize

2 of 2

adjective

out·​size ˈau̇t-ˌsīz 

variants or less commonly outsized

ˈau̇t-ˌsīzd 

1

: unusually large or heavy

Physically he is outsize, standing six feet three and weighing 225 pounds …

—Neil M. Clark

2

: exaggerated or extravagant in size or degree

… they loved Mayweather for his outsize persona and the reminder it carries of the sport's past glories.

—Carlo Rotella

He was wearing a huge fur hat, a purple jacket with outsize shoulders, and two pairs of spectacles, in tiers, emphasizing the narrow length of his face.

—Anthony Haden-Guest

Synonyms of outsize

Adjective

• large
• sizable
• considerable
• substantial
• oversize
• big
• huge
• great

Examples of outsize in a Sentence

Adjective

an outsize cat who weighs 25 pounds

she likes to make dramatic appearances wearing her trademark outsize sunglasses

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Harper and his Angeleno peers show how noir in any setting can work in this century, a time of rampant corruption, outsize villains, and morality turned inside out. — Carolyn Kellogg, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Considering the outsize roll these pathogens play in driving severe respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia, these pauses are alarming. — John Kubale, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

His story stretches beyond sports, touching one of Haiti’s many mysteries of Haiti’s brutal Duvalier dictatorship and reflecting on the outsize role Haitians have long played in shaping American history. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

And those drops have an outsize effect because AI stocks have grown into Wall Street’s largest and most influential, giving movements for their stock prices more weight on indexes than others. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1845, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outsize

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

outsize

1 of 2 noun

out·​size ˈau̇t-ˌsīz 

: a size different and especially larger than the standard

outsize

2 of 2 adjective

variants also outsized

-ˌsīzd 

: unusually large or heavy