enormous

adjective

enor·​mous i-ˈnȯr-məs 

ē-

1

: marked by extraordinarily great size, number, or degree

especially : exceeding usual bounds or accepted notions

2

a

: exceedingly wicked : shocking

an enormous sin

b

archaic : abnormal, inordinate

enormousness noun

Synonyms

• huge
• vast
• tremendous
• gigantic
• massive
• giant
• immense
• colossal
• mammoth
• astronomical
• monumental

Choose the Right Synonym for enormous

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 enormous in a Sentence

They live in an enormous house.

We chose not to undertake the project because of the enormous costs involved.

Recent Examples on the Web

And for what? To cover only a fraction of the enormous cost of the bill, which will add more than $3 trillion to the federal debt by 2034. —Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025

With that enormous amount of moisture serving as fuel, the winds hitting the escarpment in West Texas served as a kind of match that started the storms. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 6 July 2025

The amount of water that fell rapidly on Friday is estimated around 100 billion gallons, an enormous volume that almost doubles the daily flow over Niagara Falls, according to KSAT. —Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025

Our state and federal politicians must insist on order and basic due process in ICE’s performance of its duties, not the chaos and confusion inherent in playing up to Trump’s enormous ego, tiny vocabulary and constantly flip-flopping orders, statements and media posts. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin enormis, from e, ex out of + norma rule

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Rhymes for enormous

• pyriformis

Kids Definition

enormous

adjective

enor·​mous i-ˈnȯr-məs 

: extraordinarily great in size, number, or degree

enormously adverb

enormousness noun