massive

adjective

mas·​sive ˈma-siv How to pronounce massive (audio)
1
: forming or consisting of a large mass:
a
: bulky
massive furniture
b
: weighty, heavy
massive walls
a massive volume
c
: impressively large or ponderous
stars more massive than the sun
d
: having no regular form but not necessarily lacking crystalline structure
massive sandstone
2
a
: large, solid, or heavy in structure
massive jaw
b
: large in scope or degree
the feeling of frustration, of being ineffectual, is massiveDavid Halberstam
c(1)
: large in comparison to what is typical
a massive dose of penicillin
(2)
: being extensive and severe
massive hemorrhage
(3)
: imposing in excellence or grandeur
massive simplicity
the most massive American dramatist of his timeNewsweek
3
: having mass (see mass entry 2 sense 1c)
a massive boson
massively adverb
massiveness noun

Examples of massive in a Sentence

The fort had massive walls. stars more massive than the sun A massive effort will be required to clean up the debris. You can find a massive amount of information on the Internet. The stunt received massive publicity. a massive collection of baseball cards
Recent Examples on the Web The Show — and the grind — that comes with it is a massive step. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 Before Spanish colonizers arrived in the region, that area held a village and a massive shell mound with a height of 20 feet and the length and width of a football field that was a ceremonial and burial site. Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday granted SpaceX a license that allows the company to launch its massive Starship rocket again, possibly as early as 8 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, though weather at its South Texas facilities could force a delay. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Tabulated from a massive vote that had artists, industry figures, and critics weighing in, the list has been a source of conversation, inspiration, and controversy for two decades — one of the biggest, and most argued-over, features the magazine has ever done. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Although it’s been just under two years since J-Hope launched Jack in the Box, his debut studio album, and the BTS member is already gearing up for two massive new projects. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 According to the California Highway Patrol, approximately three massive boxes of toilet paper fell from a Ford F-350 onto the southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway in Newhall, California on Monday morning. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024 The pact comes two weeks after Disney and Reliance Industries announced a blockbuster $8.5 billion deal merging their massive Indian TV and streaming businesses. Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 The Obama-era NLRB brought a massive case against the company and 29 franchisees in 2014, which turned into what was regarded as the biggest case the board ever instituted, and the longest. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'massive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English massiffe, from Anglo-French mascif, alteration of massiz, from Vulgar Latin *massicius, from Latin massa mass

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of massive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near massive

Cite this Entry

“Massive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/massive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

massive

adjective
mas·​sive ˈmas-iv How to pronounce massive (audio)
1
: weighty sense 1, heavy
massive walls
2
a
: large, solid, or heavy in structure
a massive jaw
b
: large in extent or degree
a massive effort
3
: having mass
massively adverb
massiveness noun

Medical Definition

massive

adjective
mas·​sive ˈmas-iv How to pronounce massive (audio)
1
: large in comparison to what is typical
used especially of medical dosage or of an infectious agent
a massive dose of penicillin
2
: being extensive and severe
used of a pathologic condition
a massive hemorrhage
a massive collapse of a lung

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