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 programs are vying for a diaspora that is potentially enormous, yet only 1,213 people received citizenship through the four initiatives from 2019 through 2026, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Pictures show the enormous white superyacht docked in the marina, towering over its surroundings. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 That is an enormous volume of borrowing outside crisis times. Matt Peterson, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 The cost of our avoidance of clozapine is invisible but enormous, measured in people who stay sick, and in lives that end early, for want of a drug already sitting on the shelf. Nitin Gogtay, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • The cast’s Blackness is a huge part of this — signifying is in their blood — but the impact spread across the whole franchise.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That was a play with huge ramifications that, to some extent, still sticks with Williams.
    Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Yet no matter how much conviction Duren might have in his case, there’s a very simple reason the vast majority of players avoid taking the qualifying-offer route.
    Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The billionaire chairman and CEO of WorldQuant has been a pioneer in applying AI and other technologies to vast collections of data, looking to build predictive models from historical information.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Decker had tremendous success at Old Dominion last season, and his quarterback Colton Joseph, now at Wisconsin, was the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.
    Antonio Morales, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Her tremendous decision not to share every notification, though unseen by her children, quietly demonstrated her ability to move forward without asking permission from the past.
    Dr. Victor Fornari, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The gigantic sinkhole, which formed in the driveway of the Malibu, California, home, is estimated to be up to 30 feet deep, 30 feet wide and 60 feet long, according to a proclamation of a local emergency issued by the City of Malibu.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The 6-foot-6, 238-pounder is basically a gigantic receiver who isn’t afraid to put his hand in the dirt and block.
    Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Alongside those, Barca make massive amounts from merchandise, reflecting the club’s global appeal.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The second was King Philip’s War in the 1670s, which was a massive uprising in response to the harms of colonialism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Earlier, in a downpour at daybreak, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top military officials stood outside and watched as a giant American flag was unfurled on the building struck by one of those planes a quarter-century ago.
    Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The lobby is especially cozy, with a giant stone fireplace, unique antiques, stacks of books, and classic board games.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • In the colossal yet claustrophobic world that Khrzhanovsky has created (or recreated), Russians are stuck between a rock and a hard place, between the hammer and the sickle.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Trump to get access to that colossal wealth and Musk to avoid government investigations into his enterprises and to maintain access to the federal piggybank and untold troves of data.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Like every tennis player, Alcaraz relies on the wrist of his racket hand to generate the immense levels of speed and spin that make his shots so difficult to handle.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In their lawsuit, the city and county say the financial damage caused by climate change is immense.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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