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 as 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.
Synonyms
Examples of by and large in a Sentence
Bob Pisani, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2024
Yes, but: Democrats had no real choice during the March primary — and by and large were not wildly enthusiastic about Biden's candidacy.
—Asher Price, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
And by and large, the 45th and 46th presidents’ China strategies haven’t showcased many remarkable deviations.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 7 Sep. 2024
Boosting individual productivity was by and large the focus of early investments in tools like chatbots and copilots.
—George Davis, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by and large 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by and large.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to by and large
Dictionary Entries Near 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 19 Sep. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share