major

adjective

ˈmā-jər How to pronounce major (audio)
Definition of majornext
1
as in significant
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention with several blockbuster hits under her belt, the actress now commands some major cash for appearing in a movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in important
having great meaning or lasting effect a major change in how science is taught in our high schools

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 major Similarly, when a major email provider comes back online, it is immediately hit with a tidal wave of pent-up messages and retry attempts from every other mail server on the internet. — Doug Jacobson, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2026 Once their leadership slate is set, the caucus will weigh major changes like implementing term limits, shaking up panel leaders, and standing up select committees on controversial policy issues. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2026 Billionaire Bloomberg cofounder Tom Secunda, a major Democratic Party donor, led a group that gave $30 million to launch the center. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2026 Grotto, for his part, urged oversight on another major vendor on which the Pentagon had begun to place all of its bets. — Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for major
Recent Examples of Synonyms for major
  1. significant
  2. important
  3. considerable
  4. historic
  5. sizable
  6. big
  7. substantial
Adjective
  • That requirement could put Florida on the hook to find a way to pay for a $1 billion penalty in cost sharing for federal food aid, according to calculations by the Florida Policy Institute, or make significant eligibility cuts.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
  • For Farid, that accessibility is what makes the current wave of memes significant beyond the jokes themselves.
    — Steve Mollman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • In a world in which answers are increasingly easy to generate, the more important skill is knowing what to ask.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The radar systems are expected to provide an important detection and tracking layer within the broader US counter-UAS architecture.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of important
Adjective
  • Targets household robotics Meta’s reported design requirements place considerable emphasis on how the robot perceives and communicates with people.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
  • View gallery - 5 images High-performance electric dirt bikes are becoming increasingly capable, but stepping into the more powerful end of the market often requires a considerable investment.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • During the extended vote count, Colom acknowledged the historic nature of doing what Espy could not.
    — BILL BARROW, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Her grandfather, William Francis Gibbs, designed the SS United States and played a major role in bringing the historic vessel to life.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • Lincoln currently does not have paramedics on its fire crews, despite having a sizable population of residents ages 55 and older.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • This week’s matchup doesn’t offer much more appeal as Jacksonville should be a sizable favorite, and while Tennessee has been more competitive than its 1-7 record suggests, Strange remains a streaming option at best.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of sizable
Adjective
  • But one of their biggest victories last year was killing Obamacare subsidy extensions in Congress — a move that impacted Miami-Dade County more than anywhere else in the country due the high share of Obamacare recipients.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
  • Some of Nvidia's biggest rivals, such as Broadcom, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices, saw their shares advance Thursday following Huang's departure as investors predicted that its customers will look to diversify their suppliers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of big
Adjective
  • Developing and maintaining them can also require substantial investment in sensors, computing infrastructure, software integration, and specialized expertise.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Ending racial preferences in admissions leaves substantial discrimination untouched if universities distribute other opportunities by race.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of substantial

Phrases Containing major

Browse Nearby Words

majesty
major
majordomo
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Cite this Entry

“Major.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/major. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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