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 Venezuela is unlikely to deliver a major increase in oil supplies for many years – perhaps not until 2035. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026 Beijing assisted with a major upgrade of the base, and the United States has voiced its suspicions that China was granted special but secret privileges there. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 Continue reading … SUDDEN SHOWDOWN — Costco members wake up to major change involving popular shopping perk. — FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Diesel powers most major freight transport, from boats to trains to trucks, and those higher input costs are eventually passed along in retail prices, in part or entirely. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 4 Sep. 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
  • Jenkins said sextortion is another significant concern that can impact children with law enforcement seeing particularly serious impacts among teen boys.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Construction on the new White House ballroom and demolition of the East Wing have faced significant legal challenges, though the Supreme Court recently ruled in a 5-4 decision that construction can continue.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • Steve Russell, vice president and general manager of Edison Works at GE Aerospace, said accelerating this type of testing is important for developing next-gen capabilities.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Turn on account alerts for purchases, transfers, password changes and other important activity.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of important
Adjective
  • The two London clubs’ transfer dealings got off to a controversial start with Ashley Cole’s infamous move from Arsenal, a deal clouded by accusations of tapping up and considerable hostility.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The completion of the Dolphin AIP programme therefore represents a considerable engineering achievement for TKMS, according to the company.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague on Monday ruled in Pakistan's favor over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, saying the historic pact remains fully binding and that India had no valid grounds for ending or suspending it.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This design is directly inspired by a historic Leroy tact watch created in 1810, today preserved at the Patek Philippe Museum.
    — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • Only 13% of current billionaires are women—but as men over the age of 60 dominate the ultra-rich cohort, more than 1,235 female spouses (representing 90% of billionaire partners) will inherit a sizable chunk in the next decade.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Despite Republican campaign arms vastly out-raising their Democratic counterparts, individual Democratic candidates in battleground Senate races have a sizable cash advantage over their Republican competitors.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of sizable
Adjective
  • The big difference is that each fame-o will be paired with a non-famous friend or family member.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Jake’s view The biggest bottleneck to Hollywood’s AI embrace is taste.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of big
Adjective
  • Its physical design is paired with substantial onboard computing, with three Turing AI chips providing up to 2,250 TOPS of effective computing power.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of carrying one sandwich or a small box, it is built to move substantial cargo between locations.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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