by and large

adverb

: on the whole : in general

Did you know?

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

by and large, that information is accurate
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Winemakers, by and large, recognize terroir as a key component to wine growing, yet often disagree about how and where it is achieved. Michelle Williams, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 The event was, by and large, peaceful; there were a few people who were there as counter-protesters. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 June 2025 Take away his first start of the season, one during which Bailey Ober was pitching through an illness, and by and large, the starter has put up decent numbers this season. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 11 June 2025 The results, by and large, illustrate how humpback whales produce bubble rings as an inquisitive behavior while approaching boats. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for by and large

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of by and large was in 1707

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“By and large.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20and%20large. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

by and large

adverb
ˌbī-ən-ˈlärj
: on the whole : in general

More from Merriam-Webster on by and large

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!