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 205's novel dustbin is enormous, taking up most of the robot's back half. PC Magazine, 23 June 2025 The farm—which is, in fact, an enormous warehouse—is filled with lettuce seedlings growing under banks of lights in a mist of chemicals. Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 The human costs of upholding state laws prohibiting gender-affirming care will be enormous. Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 22 June 2025 America’s economy is enormous and complex, and predicting when prices will rise and fall can be an extremely tricky business — particularly when factoring in the on-again, off-again nature of Trump’s tariff regime. David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • To lose one legend before a huge Test series could be put down to misfortune, but losing two looked anything but careless for India at Headingley, where two of the younger faces of their batting lineup stepped comfortably into the shoes of giants.
    Paul Newman, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • The prize money the club will receive, which is huge compared to prize money domestically and in the OFC, could further add to its dominance in New Zealand and Oceania, and skew the balance domestically and regionally.
    James Nalton, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • By contrast, the vast majority of Iran’s oil exports, which averaged about 1.5 million barrels per day last year, go through the Strait of Hormuz.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 June 2025
  • As a team, the Thunder’s biggest flaw in Game 6 was the vast difference in turnover margin, which Indiana took advantage of.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • With the tremendous uncertainty in the economy, CEOs need to establish budgetary exit ramps that would be fast and easy to implement.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • While there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation—and in some cases, outright lies—about my bill, many people brought forward sincere concerns.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The reluctance to do so earlier has converted a modest problem into a gigantic problem.
    Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • The pair had performed earlier in the night at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, where Jones hula-hooped to a song in sheer black tights, a thong, and one of her gigantic signature red and black headdresses.
    Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • Energy Prices The war between Israel and Iran had evoked fears of a regional conflict that results in massive civilian casualties, and disrupts the flow of energy and other trade through the region.
    Sara Braun, Fortune, 22 June 2025
  • Perhaps the film’s single greatest scare comes when the shark’s wide, massive head looms up from the water, close to the Orca, for just an instant before turning away and sinking out of sight.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • The bottom line is that this legislation acts as a giant wealth transfer from the poor to the rich and the young to the old.
    Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • The Senate's version of the giant tax and spending bill might eliminate tax credits for electric vehicle purchases even sooner than the House version.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • People of all ages gather at the river in the above photograph, with family bungalow houses and immense greenery receding into the distance.
    Diane Cole, NPR, 19 June 2025
  • The immense gravity of this cluster acts as a natural magnifying glass, bending and amplifying light coming from much more distant, ancient galaxies behind it.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • While their native range spans from northern Australia to the Tamil Nadu coast, the Sundarbans play host to a particularly large population, providing plenty of opportunities to spot these colossal reptiles in the flesh.
    Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • That colossal production, which involved the construction of villages in which to film and the onscreen involvement of the host country’s armed forces, began as a lark and turned into an albatross.
    Jillian Steinhauer, New Yorker, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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