mighty

1 of 2

adjective

mightier; mightiest
1
: possessing might : powerful
2
: accomplished or characterized by might
a mighty thrust
3
: great or imposing in size or extent : extraordinary

mighty

2 of 2

adverb

: extremely, very
a mighty handy gadget
Using Mighty as an Intensive: Usage Guide

Mighty used as an intensive usually conveys a folksy down-home feeling.

plain and simple fare … but mighty filling and mighty satisfying Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times

It is used especially to create a chatty style

turnip greens, corn bread and biscuits. That sounds mighty good to me Julia Child

or to stress a rural atmosphere.

a man must be mighty serious about his squirrel hunting Stuart Williams, Field & Stream

In a more formal context, mighty is used to create emphasis by drawing attention to itself.

the chairman made sure that there were mighty few of them Mollie Panter-Downes

Example Sentences

Adjective The barbarians faced a mighty army. the decline of a mighty empire With a mighty leap, he jumped across the stream. A mighty famine devastated the land. It took a mighty effort to get everything done on time. Adverb Your father and I are mighty proud of you. That was a mighty tasty dinner. He made the offer mighty appealing. She has some mighty important decisions to make. It sure was mighty cold last night. We're mighty glad to be here. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This small but mighty vacuum can transform into an even tinier tool with the click of a button, leaving you with the perfectly sized device to clean car interiors, pet beds, or any other surface that could use a little TLC. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023 The two mighty acts slay over an energetic banda rhythm powered by blaring horns and commanding vocals. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 4 May 2023 Over a lush orchestral arrangement, Bailey delivers a mighty vocal performance that makes the new recording feel like a fitting tribute to the original, sung by Jodi Benson. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2023 Then there's the mighty V-12, which feels all bottled up at the low end. Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 24 Apr. 2023 This small but mighty table saw from MicroLux is a worthy addition to the tool collection of hobbyists and occasional DIYers. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2023 Brewer Soprano Angela Yam was radiant in her short appearance as the goddess Diana, and the unfailingly versatile local baritone David McFerrin made a mighty Thoas, the tyrannical king of the Taurians. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Apr. 2023 Okavango Delta, Botswana The mighty Okavango, the largest inland delta in the world, is a vast network of winding waterways and animal-attracting lagoons. Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2023 This region was once the capital of the mighty Aztec empire, known as Tenochtitlán until the Spanish invaded about 500 years ago and changed its name to Mexico City. Janelle Davis, CNN, 26 Mar. 2023
Adverb
Confidence: Medium-High Our weekend is still looking mighty fine, thanks to mostly sunny skies Saturday and sunny conditions Sunday. Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 2 May 2023 But after Mayor Lori Lightfoot dropped the threshold to 6 mph over in March, the Lawrence Avenue speed monitor — and lots of others — got mighty busy issuing the $35 tickets. Tracy Swartz, chicagotribune.com, 13 Aug. 2021 Detroit has done mighty well at the rock hall through the years. Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 Creighton looked mighty tough, especially in the first half. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023 That should prove mighty important against Miami, which gets out in transition at a top-20 rate nationally. Tanner Mcgrath, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023 But his questions are mighty big. Guy Martin, Forbes, 11 June 2022 The stakes are mighty low. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2022 The fabric of the pant itself is still thick enough to be mighty durable. Meg Carney, Field & Stream, 26 Feb. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mighty was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mighty

Cite this Entry

“Mighty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mighty. Accessed 31 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

mighty

1 of 2 adjective
mightier; mightiest
1
: having might : powerful, strong
a mighty army
2
: done by might : showing great power
mighty deeds
3
: very great
a mighty famine
mightiness noun

mighty

2 of 2 adverb
: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely
mighty proud of you

More from Merriam-Webster on mighty

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