by and large

adverb

Definition of by and largenext
as in mostly
for the most part by and large, that information is accurate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 by and large The Montblanc Collection is a fantastic ode to the label’s heritage, but a warming and wintry one by and large (leather, patchouli, oud, incense). — Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 25 June 2026 But the Knicks also proved that windows of contention, by and large, no longer exist in the NBA. — Tony Jones, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Electricity costs less, by and large, when it’s provided by public rather than private companies. — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 21 June 2026 Attorneys have said those relationships are by and large unethical, but also rare. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for by and large
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by and large
  1. mostly
  2. mainly
  3. primarily
  4. chiefly
  5. largely
  6. predominantly
  7. basically
  8. principally
Adverb
  • Iran exported roughly 50 million barrels of crude oil in June, mostly through its shadow fleet, according to an analysis by TankerTrackers.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • So far in the season, Gen has mostly landed on the wrong side of the audience’s favor.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • Drafted as a running back, Hawthorne served mainly as a backup, amassing 527 career rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
    — Jim Barnes July 11, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2026
  • Relations between the Malian military junta and Algeria began to deteriorate two years ago, when Mali ended a crucial 2015 peace deal with local Azawad separatists, mainly mediated by Algeria.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • Their tropical cocktails and frozen delights are easily crushable, primarily made with vodka, mezcal, rum and tequila.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Although Chicago had its issues with redlining and massive disinvestment that left generational scars on some primarily Black neighborhoods, the small town ethos held little sway over me.
    — Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • Bouaddi was born into an aspirational family in Creil — a town of around 36,000 people in northern France, around an hour’s drive from Paris, and known chiefly as being where gangster and jailbreaker Redoine Faid is from.
    — Tom Williams, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • The complaint says Salle’s 2025 painting shares the works’ pose, perspective, clothing, and overall visual impression, differing chiefly in that its subject holds an axe instead of a sledgehammer.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • Their models still largely hold the lead in capabilities, as well as the hardware used to train and advance them.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Hilderbrand — who’s written more than 30 books, largely set in her hometown of Nantucket — says studios started calling after HBO’s adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies became a hit in 2017.
    — Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • In Boxtown, the predominantly Black neighborhood closest to the facility, the cancer risk already runs four times the national average.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • Lucky’s initial escape through a casino floor is shot predominantly in midrange close-ups, with no experimentation in building tension through unexpected compositions or cuts.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 July 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • Gabriella paid off most of his entourage to leave him and the band alone and is now basically his own private Joe Jackson, pressuring him to record nonstop.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • First, Season 4 basically just dropped a lot of characters from the central story.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of basically
Adverb
  • Oppenheimer’s note was principally focused, fitting for a global strategist, on how equity returns will be reshaped in a new regime.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 June 2026
  • The laser targeted one of three ground stations, principally NASA's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Table Mountain Facility in California, with a third, experimental ground station at the Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 June 2026
Definition of principally

Browse Nearby Words

by-and-bys
by and large
by-blow
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Cite this Entry

“By and large.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/by%20and%20large. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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