as in magnitude
the quality or state of being very large
the American taste for giantism: big cars, big houses, big servings of food
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Recent Examples of giantism
Brontotheres, the ancient North American ancestors of the horse, is a giantism outlier as—growing from around 40 pounds to four to five tons in 16 million years.
—
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023
In an especially mind-bending passage, Wengrow and Graeber show that the majority of Paleolithic tombs contained not grandees but individuals with physical anomalies including dwarfism, giantism, and spinal abnormalities.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 11 July 2022
The researchers think the parrot evolved this way because of a phenomenon known as autapomorphic giantism, in which a member of an otherwise moderately sized group becomes humongous by taking over an empty ecological niche.
—Cara Giaimo, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019
The extraordinary success of the giant three-ring circus gave rise to other forms of exportable American giantism, such as amusement parks, department stores, and shopping malls.
—Janet M. Davis, Smithsonian, 22 Mar. 2017
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023
In an especially mind-bending passage, Wengrow and Graeber show that the majority of Paleolithic tombs contained not grandees but individuals with physical anomalies including dwarfism, giantism, and spinal abnormalities.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 11 July 2022
The researchers think the parrot evolved this way because of a phenomenon known as autapomorphic giantism, in which a member of an otherwise moderately sized group becomes humongous by taking over an empty ecological niche.
—Cara Giaimo, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019
The extraordinary success of the giant three-ring circus gave rise to other forms of exportable American giantism, such as amusement parks, department stores, and shopping malls.
—Janet M. Davis, Smithsonian, 22 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for giantism
Noun
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The abnormal frequency of tornado outbreaks means some Illinoisans are facing a natural disaster of this magnitude for the first time.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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That is when the United States duels Australia on Friday in a World Cup match hyped by a budding rivalry, next-phase magnitude, and home-field aura.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Noun
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The unforgettable fight was part of 2018's Andre the Giant, which looked back at the life of the wrestler, whose size was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
21 May 2026
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On one hand, her work includes deeply compassionate photographs of carnival performers, strippers, nudists, gender-nonconforming people, people with developmental disabilities, and people with both dwarfism and gigantism.—
Tony Bravo,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This week will bring that fiery adrenaline into your soul, pushing you to explore the depths within, but also the vastness of the world and other people.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
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Cross-hatched grids in the background represent the vastness of the surrounding areas, including Burbank and Studio City.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Nowhere in the vestiges of what was once the sprawl of corporate hugeness known as The General Electric Company are there signs that Katharine Blodgett's laboratory notebooks still exist.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
13 Mar. 2026
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Like Phish or Taylor Swift or The Dead, 21P have created a universe for their fans that is a self-sustaining mechanism, even if the hugeness of it doesn’t always translate into huge chart success.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Combining the immensity of an ocean liner and the elegance of a swan, the 747 is the only commercial jet that deserves to be called beautiful.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
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The immensity of the body of water, which resembles an 186-mile vericose vein snaking across southern Utah, is difficult to comprehend or convey.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Giantism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/giantism. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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