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

• choiceness
• distinction
• excellence
• excellency
• first-rateness
• perfection
• preeminence
• primeness
• superbness
• superiority
• supremacy

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

In the three matches that followed, Chelsea kept three clean sheets from three wins, setting a new threshold of domestic greatness in the process by becoming the first team to go unbeaten in a 22-game WSL season. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 16 May 2025

American science’s greatness stemmed from war In the 1940s, with the advent of nuclear weapons, the space race and the intensification of the Cold War, American science and engineering expertise became increasingly critical for national defense. —Paul Bierman, The Conversation, 15 May 2025

More: Trump will end Syria sanctions to 'give them a chance at greatness' The Israeli escalation came against Palestinian hopes that the Trump visit might provide pressure for a deescalation of violence. —Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 15 May 2025

Having returned to her hometown of Chicago and back in classes at MIT, Riri encounters the harsh reminder that greatness is rarely immediately appreciated. —Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 14 May 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