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
Iwerks is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Betty; his sons, Larry, John and wife Chris, and his daughter, Leslie and great nephew Mike. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 July 2026 The culprit is management’s mix of debt and REITs—great for income, less great for growth. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Adverb
The company struck a wide-ranging deal with Shaquille O’Neal in 2015 that has helped the NBA great burnish his brand with consumer products, live events, content and more. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 1 June 2026 His deft harmonica work evoked the sterling playing of Nashville music great Charlie McCoy. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 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
  • While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Guests can borrow, for no charge, one of four Mate e-bikes for spins around the park or beyond, say to Tanimachi nearby for local neighborhood vibes, including charming izakayas, gyoza shops, and excellent, one-woman restaurants such as Tachiaoi.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • There’s likely to be grasping, resisting, skillful and futile efforts to swim and worry about what’s up ahead.
    — Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • One of the few calls of the night was from Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, ready to get his hands on the skillful point guard.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Definition of skillful
Adjective
  • Warm, fuzzy feelings for noble stupidity are an American thing, especially in politics.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
  • The idea that, rather than taking your phone out of your pocket to open the Soundcore app to get all the settings, is a noble one, but it's replaced by taking your carry case out of your pocket, unlocking it, and then getting to all the settings.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • Assuming the battery is fine (and all the other electrical components and solder have survived the long journey through time), how will the iPhone be activated?
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Now back in King’s Landing, Corlys is distracted at best, meeting with Rhaenyra’s small council to address the crown’s nonexistent funds — the latest on a long list of problems that need solving for the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • The Hyundai Motor Company used one of the world’s largest sporting stages to showcase its robotics ambitions.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • A number of Russian regions have banned the use of large canisters that hold around five gallons to prevent fuel hoarding.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • Jihyo heard Shenseea on the demo for the song and was excited to contribute her voice alongside hers.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Down the road, Zufferey is excited about using this kind of robot for a range of applications, including monitoring harmful algal blooms, fish stocks, and coastal erosion.
    — Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 July 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Of the 33 schools awarded grants, 19 schools opted for main entrance improvements while 14 chose to modernize their check-in and visitor badging systems.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • India’s main stock index last month outperformed other emerging markets by the most since November, and foreign outflows hit a four-month low.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • As models walked out into the museum gardens with an air of aristocratic tradition, the show became exquisite, almost cinematic.
    — Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • The Sunday Times has reported claims about Farage’s financial relationship with George Cottrell, an aristocratic, crypto-gambling entrepreneur and on-off aide to the Reform UK leader.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 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 12 Jul. 2026.

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