titanic

adjective

ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈta-nik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
: having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal
a titanic struggle
titanically
tī-ˈta-ni-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
adverb

Did you know?

Before becoming the name of the most famous ship in history, titanic referred to the Titans, a family of giants in Greek mythology who were believed to have once ruled the earth. They were subsequently overpowered and replaced by the younger Olympian gods under the leadership of Zeus. The size and power of the Titans is memorialized in the adjective titanic and in the noun titanium, a chemical element of exceptional strength that is used in the production of steel.

Examples of titanic in a Sentence

They put up a titanic struggle. The batter hit a titanic home run.
Recent Examples on the Web Astronomers took these oddball stars as evidence of a titanic collision between the Milky Way and another galaxy. WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023 Leanne and Karen talk shopping at Target, and embarking on titanic night sweats. Karen Heller, Washington Post, 10 May 2023 This is a role that demands charisma and titanic presence, especially as the evening progresses. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2023 Despite lyrically regressing and alienating a notable sect of his original fans, the OVO factory churns on, amassing titanic streaming numbers that suggest there’s no financial benefit to him to expand his craft. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2023 Lewis is, again, skeptical of the attainability of these titanic goals, but perhaps not skeptical enough of their sincerity. Jacob Bacharach, The New Republic, 12 Oct. 2023 The dissatisfaction of younger and lower-turnout voters raises the possibility that Mr. Biden’s weakness in the polls may show up primarily as low turnout among Black and Hispanic voters, rather than as a titanic shift toward Mr. Trump. Nate Cohn, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023 The enlargement is part of a titanic expansion in military spending that every country in Europe has undertaken since Russia invaded Ukraine 18 months ago. Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2023 Read full article The enlargement is part of a titanic expansion in military spending that every country in Europe has undertaken since Russia invaded Ukraine 18 months ago. Patricia Cohen, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'titanic.' 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

Greek titanikos of the Titans

First Known Use

1709, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of titanic was in 1709

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Dictionary Entries Near titanic

Cite this Entry

“Titanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titanic. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

titanic

adjective
ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈtan-ik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
: enormous in size, force, or power

More from Merriam-Webster on titanic

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