Definition of colossalnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word colossal distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of colossal are enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How are the words enormous and immense related as synonyms of colossal?

Enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.

an enormous expense
an immense shopping mall

When could gigantic be used to replace colossal?

In some situations, the words gigantic and colossal are roughly equivalent. However, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When can huge be used instead of colossal?

Although the words huge and colossal have much in common, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would mammoth be a good substitute for colossal?

While in some cases nearly identical to colossal, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

When is vast a more appropriate choice than colossal?

The words vast and colossal can be used in similar contexts, but vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

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 colossal In an effort to deepen its relationship with Asia, Chanel has unveiled the latest edition of La Galerie du 19M Shanghai project at the Museum of Art Pudong — a colossal white structure on the Huangpu River. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026 Trump’s Arch will commemorate his overnight mugging of Venezuela and his colossal misadventures in Iran. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026 The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a colossal pet project by the man who invented the Star Wars franchise, makes no apologies for looking like a spaceship arrived from outer space. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026 Like much else in Guatemala, the colossal, mint-green presidential palace where Arévalo sat down with me is a holdover from a bygone era of authoritarianism. — Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colossal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colossal
Adjective
  • Think again of a gigantic system of pipes, each of which is open or closed with a certain probability.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Find an old Porsche, Jaguar or Mini, rip everything out, throw in a gigantic modern engine, carbon-fiber bodywork and enough computing power to launch a satellite, then ask half a million dollars for it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Tiny creatures like crabs and ants traveled huge distances, encountering all sorts of dangers—driven by the instinct to lay eggs and reproduce at any cost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The sensational international rescue of the famously sentient creatures, replete with colossal cargo planes, huge crates and Shedd staffers working in the dead of night to transport and care for the whales, must have looked made for social media.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • That creates an enormous range of possible eclipse trips, from the Mediterranean coast and the mountains of southern Spain to historic cities, archaeological sites and desert landscapes across North Africa.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • PewDiePie argues that users do not necessarily need an enormous model for everyday agentic tasks.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Take the account of a giant, gentle whale shark gliding through the blue waters off the Southern California coast.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Capital financial services giant project includes a $60 million investment by 2031, and pledges to hire hundreds of workers with minimum average pay of $194,000.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • For some of the wealthiest families in the United States, their vast fortunes have been cultivated over decades as their businesses are passed from one generation to the next.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
  • While JPMorgan faces a vast and onerous regulatory burden—a legacy of all the financial crises caused by bank failures—BlackRock is still relatively lightly regulated.
    — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • PopZao, in theory, allows anyone with a following—now just massive IP machines—to develop merchandise.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • All this comes the same week that the company's massive Starship reached orbit for the first time.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Both execs are well-liked and respected, and both boast tremendous domains, consisting of both studios and networks.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Diamonds are crystallized under tremendous pressure and heat deep inside the Earth and then thrust to the surface through volcanic activity before they’re scattered by water or wind.
    — LAURA TURBAY, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The date is dangerously close to that of the opening of the Whitney’s mammoth Roy Lichtenstein exhibition, scheduled to begin member previews on October 8.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That projection is gargantuan, equivalent to the output from mammoth American economic engines, such as transportation, restaurants and hotels.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Colossal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colossal. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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