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

Artists like Daniel Day-Lewis, Katharine Hepburn, Edith Head, and Alan Menken showed such greatness that the Academy couldn't help but keep awarding them Oscars. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026

The worship of greatness leads, at best, to disillusionment and, at worst, to the insanity unleashed by the Wagnerian Hitler. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026

Constantly at each other’s throats, the pair matches wits with demeaning quips and physical comedy greatness. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026

When asked why the city wasn’t holding a parade for Liu, the mayor said Liu wanted to host an event that highlighted the city's greatness rather than putting a spotlight on herself. —Noe Padilla, USA Today, 12 Mar. 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