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

• 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

An original work set in the world of 1950s ping pong culture, the film tells the story of Marty Mauser (Chalamet), a young man with a dream no one respects, who goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025

Taurasi is finding peace in retirement, in taking space away from basketball for the first time after dedicating herself to the pursuit of greatness for so long. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025

My why can be summed up in three things: fear, respect and the pursuit of greatness. —Skyler Caruso, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Club Necaxa fights to reclaim greatness, win the hearts of Aguascalientes and prove their greatest days are ahead, with the help of investor Eva Longoria. —Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 2 Aug. 2025

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