massive

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adjective mas·sive \ ˈma-siv \

Definition of massive

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 massive
—David 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 time
—Newsweek

3 :having mass (see ²mass 1c)

a massive boson

—

massively

adverb

—

massiveness

noun

See massive defined for English-language learners

See massive defined for kids

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 of massive from the Web

Members and supporters stood at the crest of the Georgia mountain known for its massive stone carving of Confederate leaders Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and hoisted their Rebel flags into the air.

— paul gattis, AL.com, "Mitch McConnell pours more money into Luther Strange campaign," 30 Aug. 2017
The guard shouldering massive expectations for a purple and gold resurgence remains a teenager for a couple more months.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Hall-bound Stu Lantz feels buzz surrounding Lakers rebuild," 30 Aug. 2017
Massive flooding from Harvey forced thousands of rescues that overwhelmed emergency responders.

— reese dunklin, The Seattle Times, "Experts not second-guessing decision not to evacuate Houston," 29 Aug. 2017
Another complication is that even if workers are moved into a 401(k), the state still has to pay off the massive debt.

— tom loftus, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky Pension Crisis: Why not reduce risk and long-term costs by moving everybody into a 401(k) plan?," 29 Aug. 2017
The James Webb Space Telescope is currently sitting inside a massive, sealed cryogenic chamber at the Johnson Space Center, a sprawling NASA facility in southeast Houston.

— marina koren, The Atlantic, "NASA's New Telescope Is in Harvey's Path," 29 Aug. 2017
Small business administrator Linda McMahon is currently in Texas as part of the federal government’s massive relief efforts to help those suffering from the flooding of Hurricane Harvey.

— christopher keating, courant.com, "Linda McMahon Helping Small Businesses in Texas Flooding," 29 Aug. 2017
Ellis, who was laid off from his job about two months earlier, was homeless and living under a bridge when Harvey hit coastal Texas and brought massive rains and flooding.

— greg toppo, USA TODAY, "In Harvey's aftermath, small acts of kindness, mercy, hope," 28 Aug. 2017
The 10 expansive meru tents are outfitted with massive beds, leather sofas, and indoor showers with a view of the elephants frolicking on the banks of the Zambezi River.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Ruckomechi Camp," 25 Aug. 2017

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