greatness

noun

great·​ness ˈgrāt-nəs 

: the quality or state of being great (as in size, skill, achievement, or power)

Today, many Inca buildings still stand—all witnesses to an empire of unforgettable greatness.

—Michelle Laliberte

An understanding of the visible world became a better way of understanding the greatness of God.

—Mario Salvadori

I came back convinced that bourbon and its cousins are America's contribution to world distillery, with as strong a claim to greatness as anything from Scotland, Ireland, or Canada.

—Corby Kummer

… young team that came within a game of reaching the World Series, a team on the verge of greatness.

—Barry Rozner

Tyson, 33, has long since abandoned any claim to boxing greatness, having squandered his promise in two jail sentences, a suspension and several gory defeats.

—Richard Hoffer

Synonyms of greatness

• excellence
• excellency

Examples of greatness in a Sentence

a poet whose work is of enduring greatness

the overwhelming greatness of the canyon is what visitors first notice

Recent Examples on the Web

Insalata di Pomodori is simple but brought to greatness by super-sweet heirloom tomatoes, served with pecorino sardo and kalamata olives. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

For every race that has colts contending for greatness and notoriety, there is a sister race for those wonderful three-year-old fillies. — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Anyone watching the crisis of American democracy right now has to face that the greatness of a society and the ebb of greatness can be attributed to moral defects in that society. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

Marcus is creating and starring in a Channel 4 Blap titled F**k Ups, about a teen, Miracle June Jones, who has dedicated her entire existence to greatness. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing greatness

• the stuff of greatness

Rhymes for greatness

• lateness
• straightness