Definition of BY AND LARGE

Did You Know?

By and large is originally a sailing term meaning "alternately close-hauled and not close-hauled." A ship that is sailing "close-hauled" is sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind). The "by" part of the phrase means "close-hauled." (This "by" also appears in the term full and by, meaning "sailing with all sails full and close to the wind as possible.") "Large," by contrast, refers to a point of sail in which the wind is hitting the boat "abaft the beam," or behind the boat's widest point. A 1669 example of a variant spelling of "by and large" gives us a sense of the range implied: "Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge" (S. Sturmy, Mariners Magazine). The suggestion of a wide range carries over into the term's "in general" sense.

Examples of by and large in a Sentence

by and large, that information is accurate

Recent Examples on the Web Black voters, which constitute a significant portion of likely Democratic voters, by and large favor Biden, with 45% supportive of the former vice president. — Anthony Leonardi, Washington Examiner, "Biden holds significant lead in South Carolina: Poll," 27 Feb. 2020 That has started to change recently, but by and large cis people still hold the power to frame trans lives for the masses. — Katelyn Burns, The New Republic, "When “Biology” Becomes a Cover for Anti-Trans Bigotry," 30 Dec. 2019 But people by and large — my supporters — have been, if anything, energized by it. — Brian Bennett, Time, "Read the Transcript of TIME's Interview With Benjamin Netanyahu," 13 July 2019 Health care systems by and large have not publicly revealed the identities of those employees, who include Kious Kelly, a nurse manager at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan, and Dr. Ronald Verrier, a surgeon at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. — Michael Rothfeld, New York Times, "The Heartbreaking Last Texts of a Hospital Worker on the Front Lines," 15 Apr. 2020 Americans by and large have willingly obeyed the government’s shelter-in-place and social-distancing orders, but that doesn’t seem to be enough for some public officials. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "It’s Still America, Coronavirus or Not," 13 Apr. 2020 The media, by and large responsibly, is providing it. — Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "Trump's coronavirus media briefings have become absurd. Here's how to navigate the truth," 21 Mar. 2020 June and July, bleeding into the early part of August, are always loaded with a ceaseless stream of speculation on moves which, by and large, won't happen. — SI.com, "Transfer Rumours: Everton to United, Trippier to Juve, Tokoz to Liverpool or Arsenal and More," 16 June 2019 Local government officials by and large also emphasized a general desire for the department to uphold current levels of oversight on the oil and gas industry while also suggesting some changes to clarify and strengthen the existing regulatory code. — Author: Elwood Brehmer, Anchorage Daily News, "Public comments on revising Alaska oil spill response range from status quo to modernization," 19 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'by and large.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.