Synonym Chooser

How is the word enormous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of enormous are colossal, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," 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 would colossal be a good substitute for enormous?

While in some cases nearly identical to enormous, colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

Where would gigantic be a reasonable alternative to enormous?

The synonyms gigantic and enormous are sometimes interchangeable, but gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When could huge be used to replace enormous?

While the synonyms huge and enormous are close in meaning, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When might mammoth be a better fit than enormous?

Although the words mammoth and enormous have much in common, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

When can vast be used instead of enormous?

In some situations, the words vast and enormous are roughly equivalent. However, 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 enormous It's fitted with suspension kit from Ohlins, enormous 394-mm and 390-mm brake discs in the front and rear respectively, and several bits of aerodynamic bodywork that should allow for nearly 1,300 lb (589kg) of downforce at 150 mph (240 km/h). New Atlas, 4 July 2025 As was divulged on a DVD commentary track from director-writer Roland Emmerich and producer-writer Dean Devlin, the enormous build-up in Pullman's speech was directed just as much at the studio suits. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 4 July 2025 Formed by the freeze-thaw cycle, when sunshine or the daily temperature melts snow only to have the liquid water freeze back into ice, icicles can grow to an enormous size and come crashing down without warning. Cheryl Vari, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Smith opened as an enormous favorite at -1600, while Price was +900. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • Even a small flock of hens can bring a huge amount of enjoyment (and fresh eggs) to your homestead life.
    Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2025
  • Having an offensive mind as creative as Johnson will be a huge upgrade for Williams and the Bears.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • And the company behind the bet was Google, which had acquired legacy phone maker Motorola Mobility and was leveraging its modern tech prowess and vast resources to make the Moto X smartphone a success.
    Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 5 July 2025
  • The vast majority of fans in attendance were sporting orange and black.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • The left-handed hitter has a smooth clean swing with tremendous bat-to-ball skills that includes great vision.
    Jim Bowden, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • This accessible game seems simple but has tremendous replayability and strategic depth.
    Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • On June 30, Netflix premiered its documentary Shark Whisperer, which follows Ocean Ramsey in her unique (and controversial — and viral) approach to marine conservation: swimming freely with gigantic sharks for hours on end.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2025
  • Israel doesn’t have any heavy bombers, stealthy or otherwise, capable of carrying such gigantic bombs.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • Some donors continue to feel bitter about the massive amounts of money spent by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Biden/Harris aligned super PAC Future Forward.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
  • This was a massive premiere for Paramount+, combining the charismatic Billy Bob Thornton with a traditionally blue collar Taylor Sheridan storyline.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The only thing worse than seeing a giant stain on your favorite white piece of clothing is having your whole white wardrobe start to grey and yellow.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
  • The idea has morphed from a single, giant facility to 13 smaller ones around the state, but now, Utah’s embrace of international trade could backfire on the state’s economy.
    Scott Cohn, CNBC, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • The question of whether the ambitious December train reopening will be met hangs in the balance, an indication of the immense effort still required.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • While the administration's overall approach to immigration, for instance, was viewed more negatively than positively among all voters, with 42% approving and 47% disapproving, in a Pew Research Center survey in June, the partisan gulf is immense.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • It’s believed that the 26-year-old will earn a yearly salary of around $23m, a colossal figure considering his wages in Bergamo amounted to $3.1m per-season.
    Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Swansea, who finished a colossal 86 places above Wrexham as recently as 2019-20, will be their divisional peers next time around — the first time the clubs have been in the same division since 2003.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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