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

How a player deals with both will be the ultimate determinate of greatness. —Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026

The property would be tied to a curriculum involving greatness, and would both inspire people and promote introspection. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

That’s the kind of chaotic energy that has led plenty of iconic girl-rot cinema to niche greatness in the past. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2026

Everyone recognizes his greatness. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 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