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 According to the ancient Greeks, a mighty serpent called Ophion incubated an enormous egg that hatched into the universe and all its inhabitants. Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 And how luxury brands are reacting to the enormous and growing secondhand market for luxury goods. James Sneed, NPR, 10 July 2026 Covering an enormous wall with its many different shapes and colored blooms. Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026 Walnuts are a very particular type of tree that consume enormous amounts of oxygen and, depending on the climate, produce toxins. Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • Benjamin Willis, a Lorain, Ohio, teenager and huge Marvel movie fan, opened his mouth in awe.
    Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • That water supply is not the same water supply that goes toward agriculture, which accounts for a huge portion of the water used in the country, Anisfeld said.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Adjective
  • Here, that means Meta opening up the vast trove of content already on its platform to power a new AI tool.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Additionally, our commerce writers and editors have previously covered a vast array of jeans styles, including the best butt-lifting jeans and best drawstring jeans.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 9 July 2026
Adjective
  • Fit to start the season, LAFC played tremendous soccer as Eustáquio calmly choreographed the team.
    Josh Gross, Daily News, 4 July 2026
  • The success of SpaceX is going to create tremendous energy and attention in the capital markets.
    Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • Don’t have the engineering know-how or enough paper to craft your own gigantic glider?
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 July 2026
  • And from faculty lounges today comes a gigantic rejection of the Humphrey-to-Obama synthesis.
    David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Adjective
  • In a post on Thursday, NightmareEclipse said the defense-in-depth additions produce behavior that may allow attackers to exhaust all available space on a hard drive by writing massive amounts of data to it.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
  • Having two sinks was a plus, giving me and my husband our own areas, and the walk-in shower was massive.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
Adjective
  • In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Bands perform as the peaceful crowd saunters, with the visual entertainment of beefy men cooking barbecue on giant grills.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Adjective
  • So heading to Earth without boosting your immunity to local diseases means risking colossal embarrassment.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 July 2026
  • The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
    Hannah Smith July 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • In the immense downtime between scenes during my visit this past September, the crew of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon trudges among plastic tents serving as makeshift production offices.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
  • But it's not done yet; the immense telescope is about to get even larger.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 13 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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