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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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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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
Willie Roberts is one of Kenya's great conservation mavericks. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Nov. 2026 Experts are warning Connecticut motorists to stay alert as the chances of colliding with deer are greatest during the final months of the year as white-tail deer mating season makes the animals more erratic and dangerous. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 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
  • Bold from brown butter and balsamic vinegar and bright from lemon, the crunchy topping is an excellent foil to the sweetness of roasted squash.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Their bench even has some guys providing excellent backup options.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 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
  • More than a century later, his tale of a centuries-old Transylvanian noble and vampire keeps succeeding, most recently in audio.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
  • That works just fine for this season’s noble arc, but that same polish that’s arguably warranted now does little to suggest future seasons will be willing to wrestle with whatever truth may exist in Cash’s warning.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • The centrepiece of the archaeological site is a massive rock which is more than 20 feet long and features an intriguing engraving of a powerful being.
    — James Rampton, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Political reporters could sleep late, have a long lunch, even catch a movie.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • In 2023, authorities interrupted a Sunday church class to warn Gu and Cui that their church had become too large, Gu said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Developing ultra-large autonomous underwater vehicles involves significant engineering challenges, including navigation, endurance, communications, payload integration, manufacturing, and operational reliability.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • The gala’s also honoring Denis Villeneuve, which Celmins is excited about.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026
  • That could be a great way to get kids excited about engineering.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • In 2019, a train lost control while approaching Cairo’s main station in Ramses Square, igniting a fire that killed 25 people.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Tens of thousands of people packed Florida’s main square for the Mass under brilliant blue skies, some walking for several kilometers (miles) to reach the site.
    — Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • While the rooms really do vary in vibe, the entire property exudes an eccentric, aristocratic estate feel—think, the movie Saltburn, for those who’ve seen it—that’s impossible not to fall in love with.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Whereas widowed Lord Balfour (Charles Esten) fully expects to carry his homeland’s aristocratic traditions abroad, complete with an apparent Black slave for his hoity-toity young daughter.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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