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
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Director Thomas Kail skillfully guides and paces his excellent cast through some heady stuff with big emotional stakes.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
The Sky don’t want to limit their bigs to the low block and plan to stretch the floor as much as possible, which appeals to a smaller forward like Jackson.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Adjective
Beyond these first steps, changes to cockpit avionics could help better manage the problem by improving software filters that detect big jumps in position and time, and making sure ground position warning systems don’t retain spoofed information, Faragher said.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Director Thomas Kail skillfully guides and paces his excellent cast through some heady stuff with big emotional stakes.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
The manager was clearly frustrated, talking about how the bigs in the portal weren’t that good.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
The Sky don’t want to limit their bigs to the low block and plan to stretch the floor as much as possible, which appeals to a smaller forward like Jackson.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big
Adjective
-
Trinidad and Tobago conducts significant oil and gas exploration activity both on land and in shallow waters, and is one of the Caribbean’s largest producers, according to official information from Trinidad’s Ministry of Energy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
The smallest player on the floor is putting up the largest numbers.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cloudflare executives added that the company is hoping to avoid further major layoffs.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Even in the absence of major unemployment shocks, inequality will likely increase as returns to capital exponentially outstrip those to labor.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
After Marcus’s ground ball, everybody took great at-bats.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Cherry blossoms great guests at the front foyer.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Here, this translates as an exuberance of bread, meat and dairy, rich and fortifying.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
That’s rich — like the pot calling the kettle black.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
One of the book’s main themes is that trauma and damage, like red hair or skill with animals, can be handed down from one generation to the next.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Two smaller structures rise to six floors each, alongside the 20-story main tower.—
Adam Williams
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Massive modern skyscrapers dominate the horizon, complemented by fashionable retail outlets.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
From its round neck and hem to its striped fabric, there are a few things that elevate this Automet top from a basic tee to a fashionable find.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fasold was one of six surrogates who were still pregnant at the time of Silvia and Guojun’s arrest.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Madison, who got pregnant three years after Felix in 2021, felt pressure to return to the track immediately.—
Tina Sturdevant,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Scoring more than 50% off on these bass-heavy icons is a total win for your playlist and your pocket.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The only caution is that the Chiefs were drafting from a position of strength and still leaned projection-heavy on a few picks, but that is a very small complaint for a very sharp weekend.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
