1
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind
bought a big apple to quench his raging appetite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
there will be a big meeting to resolve the issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in great
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
how big of you to give your subordinates most of the credit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor)
inexperienced wine drinkers should not start with such a big wine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the big story that year was the election of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in fashionable
enjoying widespread favor or approval
jackets with very wide lapels were big that year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body
a mare big with a foal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in heavy
one of high position or importance within a group
with that new promotion he's now one of the bigs in the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in major league
usually bigs plural
the highest level of a field of endeavor
a candidate who is running for president is playing in the bigs and cannot afford to make major mistakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 big
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
The $170 million boost might come out of that pool of money, but DeLong questioned why the number isn’t bigger.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The coaching staff saw how the pairing of Flory Bidunga and Tiller had some issues against bigger bigs.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Adjective
Its ability to function on a moving carrier addresses one of the biggest hurdles for naval laser weapons.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
The $170 million boost might come out of that pool of money, but DeLong questioned why the number isn’t bigger.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
And the Celtics could see a gauntlet of All-Star-level bigs in the coming weeks.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The coaching staff saw how the pairing of Flory Bidunga and Tiller had some issues against bigger bigs.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big
Adjective
-
Maine lawmakers this week approved a moratorium on data centers larger than 20 megawatts — the first statewide ban of its kind in the country.—
Kevin Hardy,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Consultancy Greysparks highlighted that more than 81% of private credit assets under management sit at firms that also run private equity funds, underscoring how concentrated the market is among large private capital managers.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Russia's Rosatom is building Egypt’s first reactor and has cooperation agreements with Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tanzania and Niger, spanning major projects, research centers, uranium processing facilities and training programs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Last winter, the college had its first major fight with people who were suspicious of its motives.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Counsell thought Suzuki’s at-bats looked good from the onset of Tuesday’s game and felt the swings in his first at-bat were a great sign.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
What’s the greatest celebrity notes app apology of all time?—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Young certainly could make adjustments based on that reality, but his language is so rich that his poetry also frequently makes its own lyrical case.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The Quince version has a burgundy interior for a rich-looking touch of color.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shuttle services have been arranged to transport journalists between the media center and a hotel in the city’s main shopping mall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But the leak appeared to get worse when the service module fired its main engine for the translunar injection burn on Day 2 of the flight, according to Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Featuring bolder, thicker spots at the top and more refined, micro specks down the skirt, this mini dress makes all-day, fashionable wear easier than ever.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2026
-
While personal fans have been a fashionable accessory since before the Victorian era, the category has been stifled by a lack of innovation for a while.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the mid-seventies, Vince drove McMahon, who was pregnant with Stephanie, to a courthouse to declare bankruptcy.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Kim Il-hyeok’s wife, five months pregnant, reluctantly agreed to join.—
Mike Valerio,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Laser writes energy circuits Unlike conventional energy storage devices that rely on synthetic materials and chemical-heavy processes, this method uses a natural substrate and a single-step fabrication process.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Fort Worth’s luxury Bowie House hotel opened with a beef-heavy menu.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
