immense

adjective im·mense \ i-ˈmen(t)s \

|Updated on: 18 Jul 2018

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Examples: immense in a Sentence

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Definition of immense

1 : marked by greatness especially in size or degree; especially : transcending ordinary means of measurement

the immense universe

2 : supremely good

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immensely

adverb

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immenseness

noun

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Examples of immense in a Sentence

He inherited an immense fortune.
She is an artist of immense talent.

Recent Examples of immense from the Web

The candidate who carries southeast Wisconsin has an immense advantage in a Republican primary.

— craig gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "GOP senate primary in Wisconsin already reflects north-south divide within party," 13 July 2018
But Barkley said that — given the immense pressure on lawmakers to raise significant revenue and the goal of health advocates for an increase in the cigarette tax of at least $1 a pack — tobacco companies were a winner with the final tax bill.

— tom loftus, The Courier-Journal, "A GOP group influential in Kentucky is funded by tobacco and casinos," 13 July 2018
That lack of experience has not affected the billionaire’s immense self-regard and confidence in crafting international deals.

— andrew malcolm, SFChronicle.com, "Will Trump stand up to Putin or fall for him?," 12 July 2018
Beckham's team is set to pitch city commissioners Thursday (July 12) on the plan to turn the course into an immense stadium and retail complex.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Reports: Tests indicate tainted soil beneath surface of Melreese site, eyed for Beckham soccer stadium," 12 July 2018
Hadfield isn't wrong: there's an immense distance between Earth and Mars, with the red planet being roughly 600 times further away from us than the moon.

— Fox News, "NASA shocker: Astronaut reveals humans could have been on Mars in the 1960s," 10 July 2018
The challenge of fixing a child welfare agency After Gabriel’s death in May 2013, the Department of Children and Family Services found itself under immense pressure to make changes.

— NBC News, "Death of Anthony Avalos has parallels to another child abuse case in L.A.," 8 July 2018
The book is that rare combination of first-rate scholarship and immense readability.

— steve donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, "3 books for deep summer reading," 6 July 2018
These treatments come with immense collateral damage, however, and many of the more fragile tissues, including ovarian follicles, may be wiped out alongside the tumors.

— katherine j. wu, Smithsonian, "How Artificial Ovaries Could Expand Fertility Options For Chemo Patients," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'immense.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Just how big is something if it is immense? Huge? Colossal? Humongous? Ginormous? Or merely enormous? "Immense" is often used as a synonym of all of the above and, as such, can simply function as yet another way for English speakers to say "really, really, really big." "Immense" is also used, however, in a sense which goes beyond merely really, really, really big to describe something that is so great in size or degree that it transcends ordinary means of measurement. This sense harks back to the original sense of "immense" as something which is so tremendously big that it has not or cannot be measured. This sense reflects the word's roots in the Latin immensus, from "in-" ("un-") and "mensus," the past participle of "metiri" ("to measure").

Origin and Etymology of immense

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin immensus immeasurable, from in- + mensus, past participle of metiri to measure — more at measure

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

immense Synonyms

Phrases

out of this world, too much;

Synonym Discussion of immense

enormous, immense, huge, vast, gigantic, colossal, mammoth mean exceedingly large. enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.