whopper

noun

whop·​per ˈ(h)wä-pər How to pronounce whopper (audio)
1
: something unusually large or otherwise extreme of its kind
2
: an extravagant or monstrous lie

Examples of whopper in a Sentence

That's a whopper of a diamond ring. He told us a real whopper.
Recent Examples on the Web This album gathers recordings of Louis Armstrong with some of his most important friends and colleagues for a whopper of a compilation. EW.com, 16 Nov. 2023 This whopper of a deal on Amazon’s popular Coolife Suitcase 3-piece Carry-on Luggage Set is the best excuse to start prepping for all the adventures this coming year has in store. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 24 Dec. 2023 Photo: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press After your humble correspondent’s Thursday mention of the whoppers Gov. Jay Inslee (D., Wash.) told about the costs of his beloved climate agenda, reader Don Hodun suggests that this column missed an important part of the story. James Freeman, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2023 Ohio has a well-deserved reputation for producing whopper whitetails, and according to his Instagram post, Ashton Jankowski arrowed just such a buck in the middle of last month. Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023 There’s another whopper offered on Saturday: a Powerball prize estimated at $875 million, according to the Powerball website. Jay Croft, CNN, 14 July 2023 The whopper draws inspiration from the suit Miles Morales wears in the film. Francisco Guzman, USA TODAY, 8 May 2023 His summers are dedicated to growing a whopper of a pumpkin, hoping to beat the next state record in Connecticut. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023 Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales. Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023

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

whop entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whopper was circa 1712

Dictionary Entries Near whopper

Cite this Entry

“Whopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whopper. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

whopper

noun
whop·​per ˈhwäp-ər How to pronounce whopper (audio)
ˈwäp-
1
: something unusually large
2
: a monstrous lie

More from Merriam-Webster on whopper

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