Definition of enormousnext

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 The results will also give investors a fresh look at Berkshire’s enormous cash pile and how aggressively the company is putting that capital to work. Yun Li, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 Online, influencers in the looksmaxxing space have leveraged other men's insecurities to enormous fame while doling out aesthetic advice with little, if any, credentials. Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 The temporary barrier was soon replaced with an enormous metal fence. Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 When heated inside a reactor, these atoms fuse together to release enormous amounts of energy. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • Videos circulating on social media, and geolocated by CNN, show a huge blaze raging and plumes of smoke rising from an area just outside the city, close to what appear to be the characteristic towers of an oil refinery.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The fight is huge for everyone involved, the network and promoters included.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • One such is Japan’s Santec Holdings, a maker of optical testing gear much in demand in AI data centers that use fiber-optic cables to transmit vast quantities of data.
    Naazneen Karmali, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Roughly 11,000 square feet across two levels showcases high ceilings and vast walls of glass offering sweeping mountain and ocean views.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Why Adaptable People Can Still Feel Stuck Adaptability gets a tremendous amount of attention in conversations about the future of work, and for good reason.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • As the largest institutional purchaser of firearms in the United States, governments have tremendous power to shape the market.
    Kris Brown, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Musk was asked several times about the prospects for the gigantic Starship rocket that is key to SpaceX realizing his ambitions.
    Bernard Condon, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • While SpaceX's satellite internet division, Starlink, remains the company's key revenue driver, the group's gigantic AI capex spend is unnerving investors, helping to drag the stock price lower in Wednesday's session.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The massive fire, which brought more than 300 firefighters to the scene, was finally put out by Wednesday evening.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • As a senior leader or mid-level executive tired of the grind, consider the massive opportunity hiding in plain sight.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Spaceship Earth is the iconic giant-golf-ball-looking attraction near the front entrance of the theme park.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • With an ecosystem as capricious as this, the local wildlife is born and bred to go with the flow—think gentle-but-giant humpback whales, colonies of industrious beavers, and torpedoing peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on Earth.
    Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Solar eclipses occur during the monthly new moon phase, when the lunar disk passes directly between the sun and Earth in its slightly lopsided orbit, casting its colossal shadow over a swathe of our planet's surface.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Behind the colossal range is a stunning Moroccan-style backsplash made with deep green and white tiles.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The incident also brought months of simmering cybersecurity fears to a head, demonstrating how easily AI agents could cause immense damage, while making the case for open models in the era of skyrocketing token costs.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
  • By squeezing the blocks together with the sample in the center, scientists apply an immense amount of pressure on it.
    Robin Macaluso, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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