by and large

Definition of by and largenext

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 Wedgewood had to be on his tootsies early — the first 11 minutes were a snooze-fest, by and large. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026 But by and large, most people are not going to see any savings. Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026 Most importantly, the wine inside is, by and large … actually good. Kate Bernot, Outside, 30 Mar. 2026 Throughout the summit, the networkers were, by and large, wary of me, a representative of the fake news media evidently out to ruin their lives and stymie their future careers—apart from one intrepid college freshman who asked me about internship opportunities at this magazine. Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by and large
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by and large
Adverb
  • Following those highs came a string of solid but unexciting records, which mostly stuck with Metric’s formula while adding the occasional left-field lyric about the Kool-Aid-drinking masses or confounding reference to QAnon.
    Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
  • Used mostly during financial crises, the Fed gives dollars to another country's central bank and receives an equal amount of the foreign bank's currency in return.
    Steve Liesman,Matt Peterson, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Adverb
  • This week, Bonta joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general from mainly Democratic states submitting a comment letter to the Postal Service outlining their opposition.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
  • While the city's streets are lined with anti-American billboards and posters, Tehran's Museum of Contemporary Art opened an exhibit this week of six works by three American Pop artists of the 1960s -- Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana and James Rosenquist – mainly chosen for their anti-war themes.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Adverb
  • While Hypersail will be primarily powered by the wind in its 131ft high sail plan, the boat will be configured to capture all kinds of renewable energy on its way across the oceans, says Ribigini.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • Throughout the album, the beats are felt primarily in the ribcage and the gut.
    Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026
Adverb
  • Over the next 30 years, Squeri moved upward to bigger and bigger jobs, chiefly in tech operations and commercial cards.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 6 May 2026
  • Hantavirus spreads chiefly when people inhale air contaminated with the virus, the California Department of Public Health said.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
Adverb
  • David Attenborough grew up largely in Leicester, in the center of England, where his father was the principal of a university.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • Democrats in Congress largely looked the other way.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Adverb
  • And people living in predominantly Black neighborhoods pay higher property tax rates than wealthier, whiter neighborhoods.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
  • Christian villages along the border with Israel have been mostly spared intense Israeli bombardment that has caused wide destruction in other parts of predominantly Shiite southern Lebanon.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Adverb
  • The two played basically every second shift as the Canadiens attempted to close the gap in the third.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • Yet this was the chapter of No Doubt’s story — basically the apex of its popularity — that the band seemed least interested in exploring on Wednesday.
    Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Adverb
  • The biggest beneficiaries of Gulf defense spending in recent years have been Western allies, principally the US.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Both are principally manufactured by TSMC.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026

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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 9 May. 2026.

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