Synonym Chooser

How is the word huge distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of huge are colossal, enormous, gigantic, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would colossal be a good substitute for huge?

The words colossal and huge can be used in similar contexts, but colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How do enormous and immense relate to one another, in the sense of huge?

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 is gigantic a more appropriate choice than huge?

The synonyms gigantic and huge are sometimes interchangeable, but gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When can mammoth be used instead of huge?

The meanings of mammoth and huge largely overlap; however, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Where would vast be a reasonable alternative to huge?

In some situations, the words vast and huge 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 huge Meeting remains huge for both state rivals, maybe bigger now for the Seminoles. Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2025 Packing hurricane-force winds, the storm has left a trail of damage, triggering landslides, flooding and huge waves. Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025 Yet if apocalypticism is phrased in the rhetoric of visionary metaphor and symbol, then the current climate crisis is rendered in the language of arid climatology and geology, a distinction which makes a huge difference. Ed Simon september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025 Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, a Heisman Trophy favorite, needs surgery on his right throwing hand – a huge blow to the Sooners’ offense. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for huge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for huge
Adjective
  • The Apple Valley Model Railroad Museum has an enormous (22 feet by 100 feet) model railroad built in a picturesque Western North Carolina landscape.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Thanks to Google’s enormous war chest, Waymo has had the luxury to spend 16 years raking in data to create more precise self-driving cars, all with the hope of an eventual payoff.
    Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Patriots cruising into halftime with a gigantic lead.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Here, slowly being swallowed by vegetation and worn down by time, are gigantic mausoleums, vast underground cisterns, temples, imposing city walls and a breathtaking theater perched, like Machu Picchu, on a hilltop that offers views stretching for miles all around.
    Barry Neild, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While the Surrey Hotel has a tremendous reputation throughout New York City, behind its façade of class and elegance exists a troubling picture of exploitation.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Ending the war and bringing the hostages home have tremendous domestic support, but not from the far-right lawmakers who are crucial to keeping the prime minister in power.
    Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Data center demand has surged in recent years, largely driven by the explosion in AI workloads, which require vast computing power, electrical power, cooling and networking infrastructure.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Future plans for Maya’s Cookies include a third brick-and-mortar location, possibly in Los Angeles, where Madsen said the company gets a vast amount of online orders.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • His singles are custom-made for arenas, with massive, cheery choruses reminiscent of peak ’80s MTV.
    Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Marshall fire victims who joined the massive lawsuit against Xcel Energy are expected to receive their portion of the $640 million settlement before the end of the year, but the amount of money each plaintiff receives will not be publicly disclosed.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • A little further out, there’s a much more conventional factory site, where giant industrial mixers mass-produce the Firmenich scents.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Those weeks saw students, pensioners, veterans, doctors and teachers stand in freezing temperatures around giant stages, teaching politicians that this was not a crowd to lead, but one to follow.
    Nick Spicer, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Sonar revealed ancient relics along the sea floor, including a series of colossal structures standing 20 feet high and arranged in rows, as well as several anchors and amphora.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
  • In the mountains of central China, a colossal antenna system stretches across the landscape.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The fallout from his injury is immense.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Restructuring on this scale presents immense challenges for employees.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Huge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/huge. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

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