colossal

adjective

co·​los·​sal kə-ˈlä-səl 

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

colossally

kə-ˈlä-sə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of colossal

• gigantic
• huge
• enormous
• giant
• vast
• massive
• tremendous
• mammoth
• monumental
• immense
• astronomical
• titanic
• monstrous

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

an enormous expense

an immense shopping mall

huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Examples of colossal in a Sentence

a colossal statue of the town's founder

Recent Examples on the Web

Ahead of him, the Great Sea Reef—colossal, colorful, teeming with sea life and yet empty of humans—waited just below the surface. — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Nov. 2026

As far as settings for monster movies go, that decimated landscape would seem an odd choice—the very raison d’être of such films is to show a colossal creature laying waste to a city. — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026

The northern lights could put on an impressive display this weekend as a colossal coronal hole on the sun fires a stream of high-speed solar wind toward Earth. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Democrats effectively tied corruption to affordability Democrats linked voter concerns over the cost of living to corruption in government in the lead-up to their colossal victory. — Garrett Downs,mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see colossus

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for colossal

• apostle
• nitrosyl
• docile
• fossil
• jostle
• hypoglossal
• nannofossil

Kids Definition

colossal

adjective

co·​los·​sal kə-ˈläs-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a colossus

especially : of very great size

a colossal office building

2

: extraordinary, exceptional

colossal growth

a colossal failure

colossally

-ə-lē 

adverb