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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
David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
To a certain extent, every person is kittenfishing on social media, a place where people, by and large, present the best versions of themselves and leave out the messy parts.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 9 June 2026
My previous novel was populated by Christian believers who, by and large, didn’t lose their religion.
—Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Families While Monaco is by and large an adult’s playground, the hotel does take trouble to make sure families feel taken care of.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
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 12 Jun. 2026.
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