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By and large means “in general” or "on the whole" in most contexts, but in sailors’ lingo of yore, whence the phrase arose, by and large described a vessel alternately sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind)—that is, by—and away from the direction from which the wind is blowing, with the wind hitting the vessel’s widest point—that is, large. (Note that this by also appears in the term full and by: "sailing as directly into the wind as possible and with all sails full.") William Bourne’s 1578 book Inventions or Devises offers insight into the phrase’s original use: “… to make a ship to draw or go but little into the water, and to hold a good wind, and to sail well both by and large, were very necessary …” As has happened with much nautical jargon, the phrase eventually came ashore. By and large, landlubbers welcomed it, first in the sense "in many directions" or "in all ways," and ultimately with its present meaning of "in general."
Examples of by and large in a Sentence
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 May 2025
And by and large, the primary form of neighborhood control over the funds promised in the agreement is the Aggie Square Community Partnership, which will allocate $150,000 annually to local businesses and community projects for the first three years following the launch of Aggie Square.
—Esther Sun, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025
Corporate travel policies by and large restrict their fliers to at best business class on long flights.
—Edward Russell, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
The 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom named recently by the Biden White House are, by and large, distinguished Americans deserving of the nation’s highest civilian honor.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by and large
Cite this Entry
“By and large.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20and%20large. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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