great 1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrāt How to pronounce great (audio)
Definition of greatnext
1
as in excellent
of the very best kind this cake is great!

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2
as in skillful
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor one of the great anthropologists

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3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature a great humanitarian great acts of charity

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4
as in long
lasting for a considerable time haven't seen them in a great while

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5
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind saw a great moose calmly walking through our backyard

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6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest she's great on any type of sport that requires endurance

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7
as in greatest
coming before all others in importance regards global warming as the great issue of the day

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8
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station a descendant of one of the great families of Philadelphia

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great

2 of 2

adverb

as in nicely
in a pleasing way the game was going great for the home team

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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 great
Adjective
And proving that great beauty knows no age, Olivia Colman made a glorious case for embracing the gray. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2026 Another great game to check out is between Mississippi State and LSU. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Beyond my ultra-chic (and great-smelling) mother’s stamp of approval, the brand’s luxurious perfume portfolio has earned praise from Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Jennifer Aniston, and Katie Holmes, to name a few. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 12 Aug. 2026 But Malonga soon too will push the rebuilding Storm to future deep postseason runs like the ex-Storm great once did. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for great
Recent Examples of Synonyms for great
  1. excellent
  2. skillful
  3. noble
  4. long
  5. large
  6. excited
  7. main
  8. aristocratic
Adjective
  • Her shoes are already a favorite among industry insiders for their sleek appeal and excellent construction.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In late September, the concept was thrust back into the public consciousness thanks to a Variety interview with actor Jack Innanen, who plays the Canadian himbo Paul Baker on the excellent sitcom Adults.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • But be that guy that can be skillful, a bruiser, fast and tough.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As Musashi scrambles through a school of Samurai, the game seamlessly bounces between skillful swordplay, rowdy improvisation, and Looney Tunes-style levity.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of skillful
Adjective
  • The bones are impressive, with rare, double frontage onto two canals, and countless freschi, mosaics and other historic holdovers from its centuries as a noble home.
    — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
  • But Dovzhenko goes a step further by making his characters look less like statues than like natural features, the wrinkles on their faces as noble as riverbeds.
    — Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • At Yohji Yamamoto, a long strand of eyelashes cascaded down from a model’s lower eyelid and snaked against her face.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Talarico has attacked Ken Paxton over his long list of scandals in several campaign ads.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • The owner of The Armoury, a four-unit men’s retailer with locations in New York and Hong Kong, has acquired his largest brand, named a new creative director and launched a second career as a pseudo real estate developer.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The sink basins are large enough, however, the stopper (plug) at the sanitizer basin does not work and water continuously flows.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • The Fear Economy Pew Research found in August 2026 that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, up from 37% in 2021.
    — Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Upon their arrival, the couple stopped to greet excited fans, several of whom had brought them flowers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Saudi Arabia kept its main international airport closed and moved Riyadh schools online on Sunday after a deadly strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels the day before.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Our main focus is on J & J’s Innovative Medicine pharma segment.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Kumari plays Sahibjaan, born in a graveyard to a courtesan who was spurned by her husband’s aristocratic family.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The new European aristocratic romance, which has its world premiere at international TV conference Mipcom tonight, ditches the fairy tale for a more realistic take on an ordinary girl who finds her prince.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of aristocratic

Phrases Containing great

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greasy spoons
great
greatcoat
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Cite this Entry

“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/great. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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