colossal

adjective co·los·sal \ kə-ˈlä-səl \

|Updated on: 1 Aug 2018

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Examples: colossal in a Sentence

Definition of colossal

1 : of, relating to, or resembling a colossus

colossal statues

2 : of a bulk, extent, power, or effect approaching or suggesting the stupendous or incredible

colossal rock formations

colossal stellar explosions

3 : of an exceptional or astonishing degree

a colossal failure

a colossal bore

colossal ambition

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colossally

play \kə-ˈlä-sə-lē\ adverb

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Examples of colossal in a Sentence

a colossal statue of the town's founder

Recent Examples of colossal from the Web

Nicknamed the SEALs, 127 present and former members of Thailand’s Underwater Demolition Assault Unit took part in a colossal international effort to rescue the team members who were trapped in the cave for over 17 days.

— casey quackenbush, Time, "After a Successful Cave Rescue, Thailand's Navy SEALs Will Add Cave-Diving to Their Training," 13 July 2018
He was diagnosed with colon cancer, an April surgery restoring his health and returning him to the road for that colossal performance at the Chicago Jazz Festival.

— howard reich, chicagotribune.com, "Remembering Henry Butler, a New Orleans giant," 9 July 2018
Our posturing president, who is wasting colossal amounts of money to appeal to his rabidly anti-immigrant base, would be the latter.

— angela helm, The Root, "Trump Creates 'Denaturalization' Task Force to Pursue Deportation Against Thousands of U.S. Citizens," 5 July 2018
As fire hoses pump the retardant into awaiting LVATs, the bridge above the pumps vibrates, echoing the colossal whir of the tanker's engine.

— julia sclafani and jordan cutler-tietjen, sacbee, "Seen those tankers above Sacramento? The low-down on Cal Fire's biggest base at McClellan," 3 July 2018
And catching the fish — whether a lightning-fast Caribbean bonefish or a colossal Pacific salmon — is always a sweet reward.

— jordan rodriguez, idahostatesman, "Don't mock the angler who catches fish in creative ways," 29 June 2018
At his flagship restaurant in downtown Hartford, three giant overhead fans spun lazily as the sound system played rowdy blues, and a trio of colossal, stainless-steel Cookshack smokers glimmered in the kitchen.

— rand richards cooper, courant.com, "Talking With The Bear: Jamie McDonald Of Bear's Smokehouse," 21 June 2018
The Phillies boast a colossal, mechanical bell above centerfield at Citizens Bank Park, chiming with each run scored.

— jake fischer, SI.com, "Liberty At Last: The Process Behind the 76ers' Bell-Ringing Ceremony," 4 May 2018
That’s a colossal if, of course, especially because Harper is expected to blow by Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million contract, and most big-revenue teams will be on his trail.

— john shea, San Francisco Chronicle, "Giants and Bryce Harper: a match or mismatch?," 24 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of colossal

see colossus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1664

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

colossal Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of colossal

enormous, immense, huge, vast, gigantic, colossal, mammoth mean exceedingly large. enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.