great

1 of 3

adjective

ˈgrāt How to pronounce great (audio)
 Southern also  ˈgre(ə)t
1
a
: notably large in size : huge
all creatures great and small
b
: of a kind characterized by relative largeness
used in plant and animal names
the great horned owl
c
: elaborate, ample
great detail
2
a
: large in number or measure : numerous
great multitudes
b
: predominant
the great majority
3
: remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness
great bloodshed
4
used as a generalized term of approval
had a great time
It was just great.
5
a
: eminent, distinguished
a great poet
b
: aristocratic, grand
great ladies
c
: chief or preeminent over others
often used in titles
Lord Great Chamberlain
6
: markedly superior in character or quality
especially : noble
great of soul
7
a
: remarkably skilled
great at tennis
b
: marked by enthusiasm : keen
great on science fiction
8
: more remote in a family relationship by a single generation than a specified relative
great-grandfather
9
: long continued
a great while
10
: principal, main
a reception in the great hall
11
: full of emotion
great with anger

great

2 of 3

adverb

: in a great manner : well
Things are going great.

great

3 of 3

noun

plural great or greats
: an outstandingly superior or skillful person
a tribute to the greats of baseball

Examples of great in a Sentence

Adjective all creatures great and small The project will require a great amount of time and money. The building was restored at great expense. a great quantity of fish The low cost of these products gives them great appeal. There is a very great need for reform. They're in no great hurry to finish. There is a great demand for his services. an actress of great charm Is there any love greater than that between parent and child? Adverb We had some problems at first, but now things are going just great. Keep up the good work. You're doing great!
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The larger back pockets are big enough to hold flat power banks, hard drives, and smartphones, while the smaller compartments are great for separating charging cables, USB blocks, flash drives, and memory cards. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025 In addition to Yungblud, the Black Sabbath rocker will be honored with a performance of his greatest hits featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Nuno Bettencourt. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
The Beatles great last entertained Chicago in July 2017. Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 So everything was working great. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
Angel Reese has made a huge impact in the WNBA in just two years, earning her some comparisons to all-time basketball greats. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025 In recent years Reservoir has acquired rights to such catalogs as jazz great Sonny Rollins and Tommy Boy Records, which includes rap greats De La Soul among many other early hip-hop releases. Jem Aswad, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for great

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Adverb, and Noun

Middle English grete, from Old English grēat; akin to Old High German grōz large

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1916, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of great was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

great

1 of 3 adjective
ˈgrāt How to pronounce great (audio)
 in South also  ˈgre(ə)t
1
: large in size : not small or little
2
: large in number : numerous
a great crowd
3
: long continued
a great while
4
: beyond the average or ordinary
a great weight
in great pain
5
: distinguished, prominent
a great artist
6
: more distant in relationship by one generation
7
: superior in quality or character
8
: remarkable in skill
great at tennis
9
used as a term of general approval
had a great time
greatly adverb
greatness noun

great

2 of 3 adverb
: in a great manner : successfully, well

great

3 of 3 noun
plural great or greats
: an outstandingly superior or skillful person
the greats of baseball

More from Merriam-Webster on great

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