epic

noun

ep·ic | \ ˈe-pik

Definition of epic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero the Iliad and the Odyssey are epics

2 : a work of art (such as a novel or drama) that resembles or suggests an epic

3 : a series of events or body of legend or tradition thought to form the proper subject of an epic the epic of the winning of the West

epic

adjective

ep·ic | \ ˈe-pik

Definition of epic (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an epic an epic poem

2a : extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope his genius was epic — The Times Literary Supplement (London)

b : heroic

Other Words from epic Synonyms & Antonyms Does epic mean "impressive" or just "big"? More Example Sentences Learn More about epic

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Does epic mean "impressive" or just "big"?

Noun

When epic began to be used as an adjective in English it was in specific reference to the characteristics of the type of poem that bears the same name. A couple of centuries passed, and the word’s meaning came to describe other kinds of works, aside from poetry, which had similarly grand characteristics. More recently, epic has been found used in a highly colloquial fashion, in a manner that is largely synonymous with outstanding, fabulous, or impressive. Before you pass judgment on whether this new sense of epic is acceptable to you or not, you might want to consider that all the words that this sense is synonymous with have also changed their meanings dramatically: outstanding originally described something that projected or stuck out, fabulous had to do with fables, and impressive used to mean “capable of being impressed.”

Examples of epic in a Sentence

Noun

Homer's ancient Greek epic “The Odyssey”.

Adjective

The football game was an epic battle between two great teams. The bridge was an epic achievement. The company is engaged in an epic struggle for survival. an accomplishment of epic proportions

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

From blockbuster epics to smaller indie experiences to inventive takes on VR, the breadth and variety of games that came out over the last 12 months is astounding. — Laura Hudson, The Verge, "Why Return of the Obra Dinn is my game of the year," 21 Dec. 2018 Having prepared the ingredients for an epic, Mr. Gessen has fashioned another work of narrow confessional realism that trucks in mundane observations and rueful ironies—something that feels, unfortunately, very American indeed. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: Young and Privileged and Perpetually at Sea," 5 July 2018 Naturally, a project of such magnitude made for an epic on-set experience. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "How Netflix’s ‘A Great Day in Hollywood’ Got its Fashion Flavor," 25 June 2018 Start by re-connecting to the epic and the elegant in your relationships. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Monthly Lovescopes October 2018," 3 Oct. 2018 Image Daniel Radcliffe is returning to Broadway, and to exploring the particular challenges of the Information Age, in a new play about an epic and thought-provoking battle between a writer and a fact-checker. — Michael Paulson, New York Times, "Daniel Radcliffe to Co-Star With Cherry Jones and Bobby Cannavale on Broadway," 6 June 2018 Much, though not all, of the art refers to the epic. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "In Iranian art show at LACMA, the past wrestles with the present," 4 June 2018 The locals are proudly patriotic Azeris, claiming not just Noah for themselves, but also the origins of Azerbaijan's national flag, its national epic, and its former strongman president Heydar Aliyev. — Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, "People Have Been Arguing About Nakhchivan Since 'The Flood'," 21 May 2018 How many millions of moviegoers have been tempted to come over to the classical side by virtue of hearing the scores to those self-replicating popcorn epics? — John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, "John Williams explores galaxies far and near in enjoyable CSO program of his film music," 27 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Dorothy Draper was a master of camp; her public spaces at The Greenbrier hotel in West Virginia are epic. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "Behold the Campiest Rooms of All Time," 7 May 2019 Most users bowed down to how epic her arrival was to begin with. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Lady Gaga's Met Gala Entrance Is Already a Fantastic Meme," 6 May 2019 The fund’s struggle for the attention (and dollars) of investors was epic. — John C. Bogle, WSJ, "Bogle Sounds a Warning on Index Funds," 29 Nov. 2018 Sampras’s serve and volley against Federer’s return game would be epic. — Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "Some head-to-head dream matchups we wish we could see," 12 July 2018 The huge pork shoulder chop for two served with buttermilk ranch and crispy nuggets of kielbasa should have been epic. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "At Cadence, bold new culinary talents cook with the seasons," 1 June 2018 The outrage was epic, and that was before social media. — Darcel Rockett, chicagotribune.com, "'Well That Escalated Quickly': Franchesca Ramsey talks about Roseanne fallout," 30 May 2018 After three excruciating overtimes and the most epic game of his life, the 18-year-old kid bound for NBA superstardom was broken. — Ben Cohen, WSJ, "The Greek Mythology of the NBA’s Superstar," 2 Apr. 2019 It's been more than 40 years since Star Wars hit theaters, but the merchandising empire forged from George Lucas's epic space fantasy is stronger than its ever been. — Maude Campbell, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Star Wars Toys for Any Aspiring Jedi," 27 Mar. 2019

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