1
as in excellent
of the very best kind
this cake is great!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skillful
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
one of the great anthropologists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
a great humanitarian great acts of charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in long
lasting for a considerable time
haven't seen them in a great while
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind
saw a great moose calmly walking through our backyard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest
she's great on any type of sport that requires endurance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in greatest
coming before all others in importance
regards global warming as the great issue of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station
a descendant of one of the great families of Philadelphia
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nicely
in a pleasing way
the game was going great for the home team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Most Taiwanese take great pride in what their society has achieved in a relatively short period of time.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Jay Woods, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
An early version of the best dessert in the house was a great-tasting but untidy wet block of orange cake the size of a solitaire deck with a ping-pong scoop of chocolate ice cream.
—Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for great
Adjective
Noah James, who plays Andrew, and Vanessa Benavente, who plays Mother Mary, both said the crew takes great care in making sure everything looks and feels authentic.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Most Taiwanese take great pride in what their society has achieved in a relatively short period of time.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
These should be great longer-term entry points.
—Jay Woods, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
An early version of the best dessert in the house was a great-tasting but untidy wet block of orange cake the size of a solitaire deck with a ping-pong scoop of chocolate ice cream.
—Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for great
Recent Examples of Synonyms for great
Adjective
-
Apple has somehow emerged from the global hardware shortage as a value buy, with its MacBook Neo offering an excellent modern computing experience for a mere $600.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Harbor locals should boast that one of the county’s singularly excellent pizzerias is in their backyard.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The invader is a skillful art restorer, Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), who’s been hired by Julian’s greedy children, Barnaby (James Corden) and Sallie (Jessica Gunning), to work, or pose, as their father’s new assistant.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Literary style and themes Critics have praised French’s novels for their vivid settings, psychologically nuanced characters, and skillful dialogue.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Most references to the Arbat in the ancient chronicles are connected to fires, amid mention of invasions and plagues and noble births.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Replete with a young Gemma and Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) in the middle as SAMCRO evolved from noble origins to criminal pursuits and violence.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Takaoka played a long arcing ball-ahead to Ocampo, who avoided goalkeeper James Pantemis — who had charged off his line — and rolled a shot from the edge of the penalty area inside the back post and into a wide-open net.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
On the other end, Reign used a direct, long-ball method to get its chances.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Many players also opt for deferrals and large signing bonuses (as opposed to a higher salary) to avoid paying income tax in certain states.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Video shows a car striking a large trash bin before slamming into the building.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, according to several people involved and to contemporaneous documents, OpenAI executives seemed to grow only more excited about it.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps York was excited for this adventure.—
Craig Fehrman,
Space.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Because the feudal courts, chivalric codes, and aristocratic patronage that had sustained it were gone.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The poisoning of a champion stallion opens an investigation that starts to expose tensions and secrets inside an aristocratic horse breeding dynasty.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Nasturtiums, million bells, trailing verbena and sweet alyssum also lend themselves nicely to the pots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The key is to find an unexpected pairing that contrasts nicely with your leggings.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/great. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
