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

Though the Yule log had once sprouted from a place of whimsical evolution (not many of us are reliably lugging colossal hunks of wood home), its flavors and construction have yet to experience the breadth of remix its flat-sheet and round-tiered kin have undergone. —Ingu Chen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025

These colossal murals stretch up to 100 feet long and soar 20 feet tall. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 29 Nov. 2025

One of the stunning displays is this colossal hand sitting beside ruins of an ancient Roman temple, which date back to the second century. —NPR, 26 Nov. 2025

For a split second over northern Italy, the night sky erupted with a colossal glowing red ring. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see colossus

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for colossal

• apostle
• hydrocele
• nitrosyl
• subbasal
• 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