greater; greatest
1
a
: very large in size : very big
all creatures great and small
—usually used before a nouna great beast
We were surprised by the great size of the auditorium.
They traveled through a great stretch of wilderness.
a great cloud of smoke
A great crowd had formed in the city square.
the Great Wall of China
the Great Lakes
(US) The house has a large great room. [=a large room used for several different purposes]
(informal) They live in a great big house. [=a very large house]
(chiefly Brit) a huge/whopping great elephant
b
—used in the names of animals that are larger than similar animals
the great white shark
the great horned owl
2
: very large in amount or extent
The project will require a great amount of time and money.
He lived to a great age. [=he lived to be very old]
The show was a great [=big, huge] success.
It's been a great [=long] while since we last saw them.
He amassed a great [=large] fortune.
The building was restored at great expense.
a great quantity of fish
He explained in great [=much] detail how they had met.
These topics need to be discussed in greater [=more] depth and at greater length.
Our speed/strength/power became greater (and greater) as we went on.
He made a great deal of money. [=he made a large amount of money]
Things could be a great deal worse. [=things could be much worse]
He is supported by the great majority of voters. [=by most voters]
3
a
: very strong
The low cost of these products gives them great appeal.
There is a very great need for reform.
They're in no great hurry to finish.
There is a great demand for his services.
She takes a great [=considerable] interest in everything her children do.
an actress of great charm
with great [=strongly felt] sadness/admiration/love
Is there any love greater than that between parent and child?
The whole matter must be treated with great care. [=very carefully]
His comments are true to a great extent. [=most of his comments are true]
This new tax affects everyone to a greater or lesser degree/extent. [=to some degree/extent]
b
—used for emphasis before a noun that describes someone
I've always been a great admirer of his work. [=I have always admired his work very much]
They are great friends. [=they are very friendly]
I'm a great believer in the value of patience. [=I believe very much in the value of patience]
c
: very important
This room is only used for great occasions. [=grand occasions, very important and formal occasions]
d
: very bad : very extreme or severe
The storm caused great damage/destruction.
He was obviously in great pain/discomfort.
She has suffered a great loss.
It would be a great mistake to ignore these problems.
a great disaster/misfortune
great difficulties
a very great error
4
: better than good: such as
a
: of the highest quality
great (works of) art/literature
great music
b
: very important and admired
a great poet/artist
a great leader/scientist/thinker/woman
He was a great but flawed man.
a great discovery/invention
great achievements
c
: very talented or successful
My brother is a great golfer.
She's a great judge of character.
My brother is great at (playing) golf. [=my brother plays golf very well]
She is great at Chinese cooking.
d
informal
: very enjoyable, favorable, etc. : excellent
"How was the movie?" "It was (really) great!"
It was the greatest.
The movie got great reviews.
We are having great weather this summer.
We had a great time on our vacation.
a great party/lecture/performance
an actress with great [=very good-looking] legs
It's great to see you again. = It's great seeing you again.
This restaurant is great for a quick meal. = This is a great restaurant for a quick meal.
The food tastes great!
Great work, everybody!
"I've passed the exam!" "That's great!"
—often used in the phrases feel great and look greatYou look great in that hat. = That hat looks great on you.
Things aren't looking so great at this point.
He came home early because he wasn't feeling too great. [=he wasn't feeling well]
I feel great just being with her!
—sometimes used in an ironic way to describe something that is very bad or upsetting"I can't find the tickets." "That's (just) great! What are we supposed to do now?"
Oh, great. Now I've lost the tickets.
5
always used before a noun
: more distant in a family relationship by one generation
My great aunt/uncle is my father's/mother's aunt/uncle.
—usually used in combinationMy great-grandfather is my grandfather's father.
My great-great-grandmother is my great-grandfather's mother.
a gift sent to Great-Uncle Mike
greater; greatest
informal
: very well
We had some problems at first, but now things are going just great.
Keep up the good work. You're doing great!
plural greats
: a very successful or admired person
—usually plural
She is among the greats of literature.
He is one of the all-time greats in baseball.
Cite this Entry
“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/great. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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