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great 1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrāt How to pronounce great (audio)
Definition of greatnext
1
as in excellent
of the very best kind this cake is great!

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skillful
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor one of the great anthropologists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature a great humanitarian great acts of charity

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4
as in long
lasting for a considerable time haven't seen them in a great while

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5
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind saw a great moose calmly walking through our backyard

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6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest she's great on any type of sport that requires endurance

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7
as in greatest
coming before all others in importance regards global warming as the great issue of the day

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8
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station a descendant of one of the great families of Philadelphia

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great

2 of 2

adverb

as in nicely
in a pleasing way the game was going great for the home team

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of great
Adjective
Kentucky Buck Created by bartender Erick Castro at Rickhouse in San Francisco, the Kentucky Buck is a bourbon, ginger and strawberry cocktail that’s great with a ginger beer, but even better with fresh ginger syrup and sparkling water. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026 At China’s signature AI conference in July, Xi called for greater openness and collaboration in AI, while stressing the need for regulation to keep it under human control. — John Liu, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Beyond my ultra-chic (and great-smelling) mother’s stamp of approval, the brand’s luxurious perfume portfolio has earned praise from Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Jennifer Aniston, and Katie Holmes, to name a few. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 12 Aug. 2026 But Malonga soon too will push the rebuilding Storm to future deep postseason runs like the ex-Storm great once did. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for great
Recent Examples of Synonyms for great
  1. excellent
  2. skillful
  3. noble
  4. long
  5. large
  6. excited
  7. main
  8. aristocratic
Adjective
  • Her excellent debut, 2007’s Free Food for Millionaires, features upwardly mobile Korean Americans whose desire for security Lee portrayed both sympathetically and critically.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • If that feels unattainable, though, Baldino’s other spots are equally excellent and open to anyone.
    — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • But be that guy that can be skillful, a bruiser, fast and tough.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As Musashi scrambles through a school of Samurai, the game seamlessly bounces between skillful swordplay, rowdy improvisation, and Looney Tunes-style levity.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of skillful
Adjective
  • Educating young people, and pushing them to earn a college degree, are noble ambitions, but those are no longer the priorities in NCAA Power Four football.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In the film’s ostensible present, as the lengthy raid unfolds, a noble, unnamed police constable (Anurag Thakur) objects to his superiors’ methods and their persecution of Devi at large.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • Even on a long, tiring shoot, the cast mostly still finds the energy to celebrate each other.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • My king bed was crisp, puffy, and beyond dreamy to slip into after a long day on my feet.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • Ownership wants a salary cap to give clubs long-term certainty over their largest cost.
    — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Growth in the world’s second-largest economy softened to its slowest in more than three years in the second quarter, as a multiyear property downturn continued to depress consumer demand and investment in real estate and infrastructure.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • Wall Street isn’t particularly excited about CagriSema, whose previous late-stage clinical trials disappointed investors because the drug showed weight loss efficacy below expectations.
    — Annika Kim Constantino,Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Winters said his mission is still driven in large part by getting kids excited about playing a violin or cello.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Construction of the project’s main underground access portal began in February 2026.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • This, Rostov’s main thoroughfare, wasn’t illuminated by the familiar bright glare of its many street lamps, or by light from its windows, now blacked out, but emerged from the darkness all the more gently in a milky cloak of moonlight.
    — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Beatrice’s children do have aristocratic titles, even though Eugenie’s don’t.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026
  • His family has not endured near the top of the British aristocratic food chain by being critical of the royal household, but Diana's story has changed that.
    — Mark Phillips, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of aristocratic

Phrases Containing great

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greasy spoons
great
greatcoat
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Cite this Entry

“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/great. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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