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

Norris was unsure how much competing and racing sports cars would add to Verstappen’s greatness. —Luke Smith, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

Start building your own greatness. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

Yoshizawa trained 18 months in the art and history of Kabuki theater to play an actor pursuing greatness at all costs, in a story of glory and heartbreak that spans decades. —Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

Schmigadoon is crossing another bridge on its path to greatness. —Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 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