Definition of IMMENSE

Choose the Right Synonym for 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. an enormous expense an immense shopping mall huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount. incurred a huge debt vast usually suggests immensity of extent. the vast Russian steppes gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind. a gigantic sports stadium colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions. a colossal statue of Lincoln mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk. a mammoth boulder

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").

Examples of immense in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The cast is filled with stylish actors like the aforementioned Monsieur Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan, and one newcomer that has immense fashion potential on top of her on-screen chops. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "These Are the 15 Stars That Will Be Inspiring Fashion Designers in 2019," 4 Jan. 2019 Even by the standards of eclectic Paris bookstores, the personal library in the back of Studio 7L is immense, about 80,000 volumes. — Erik Maza, Town & Country, "Karl Lagerfeld Turns Interior Designer With a New Miami Masterpiece," 3 Jan. 2019 Leslie Mann as Nicol and Steve Carell as Mark Hogancamp Photo: Universal Pictures Yet the results are mind-numbingly immense, joylessly violent and utterly lifeless. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Welcome to Marwen’ Review: An Excess of Fantasy," 20 Dec. 2018 Maxine Waters issued a full-throated endorsement of rudeness on Saturday, and to comfortable people in positions of immense power and privilege, rudeness might look or feel like violence. — Jay Willis, GQ, "Public Shaming Is Powerful," 25 June 2018 Simulating all this physics for hundreds of thousands of galaxies at once takes immense computing power and cleverness. — Natalie Wolchover, WIRED, "The Universe Is Not a Simulation, but We Can Now Simulate It," 16 June 2018 This 100 percent only exists because of the immense success of The Lego Movie. — Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge, "New trailers: True Detective, Once Upon a Deadpool, Godzilla, and more," 15 Dec. 2018 His legacy across high school basketball in Kansas City — and beyond — is immense. — Sam Mellinger And Sam Mcdowell, kansascity, "Bud Lathrop, Ray South coaching legend and ‘One of the richest men in Raytown,’ dies at 82," 12 July 2018 That night, Chesney, who has found immense success in the past two decades selling the idea of island-style relaxation, would reference alcohol in 18 out of his 23 songs. — Emily Yahr, chicagotribune.com, "Country music's sobering truths," 30 June 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.