immense

1 of 2

adjective

im·​mense i-ˈmen(t)s 

1

: marked by greatness especially in size, amount, or degree

an immense lake

immense wealth/power

immense talent

an immense relief

especially : transcending ordinary means of measurement

the immense universe

2

: supremely good

… his reading has been immense, his grasp is masterly …

—H. Latimer Jackson

immenseness noun

immenseness

2 of 2

noun

im·​mense·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being immense : immensity

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." But immense is also used 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 for something which is so tremendously big (such as, say, the universe) that it has not been 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."

Synonyms of immense

Adjective

• enormous
• vast
• huge
• tremendous
• gigantic
• massive
• giant
• colossal
• monumental
• mammoth
• astronomical

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

Examples of immense in a Sentence

Adjective

He inherited an immense fortune.

She is an artist of immense talent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Following a devastating fire year, Oregon’s attempt to move at a breakneck pace prompted immense backlash. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Ogden’s was 25 pounds, Anderson’s fish had an immense girth and weighed an eye-popping 44 pounds. — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026

The cost from the fire’s impacts on water was immense — more than $70 million — and ongoing. — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026

Her immense musical talent guaranteed her top-tier standing in country music and propelled her into a level of mainstream success that only a handful of her peers would match. — Ann Powers, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for immense

• commence
• condense
• defence
• defense
• dispense
• expense
• fourpence
• halfpence
• incense
• intense
• missense
• offence

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Kids Definition

immense

adjective

im·​mense im-ˈen(t)s 

: very great in size or amount

especially : not capable of being measured by ordinary means

the immense universe

immensely adverb

immenseness noun

Etymology

Adjective

from early French immense "immense, huge," from Latin immensus "boundless, too great to be measured," from im-, in- "not" and mensus, past participle of metiri "to measure" — related to dimension, measure