mammoth 1 of 2

Definition of mammothnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mammoth distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of mammoth are colossal, enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

When might colossal be a better fit than mammoth?

Although the words colossal and mammoth have much in common, colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How are the words enormous and immense related as synonyms of mammoth?

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 would gigantic be a good substitute for mammoth?

The words gigantic and mammoth can be used in similar contexts, but gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When can huge be used instead of mammoth?

In some situations, the words huge and mammoth are roughly equivalent. However, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

Where would vast be a reasonable alternative to mammoth?

The meanings of vast and mammoth largely overlap; 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 mammoth
Adjective
And though there’s a sense Anthropic fever has escalated in recent months (including the demand explosion around the company’s mammoth $65 billion fundraise), Anthropic shares have been the most prized for some time. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 The jumpship carrying Olstead taxied to the runway and took off into a sky filled with mammoth gray thunderheads. M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
For a mammoth, a successful pregnancy in an elephant surrogate would drag on for almost two years. Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026 According to this theory, those now-extinct megafauna—the giant ground sloths and the giant beavers, the mastodons and mammoths, and even the lions and dire wolves—were relatively quickly hunted to extinction. Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mammoth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mammoth
Adjective
  • Robinson is more like the Carolina McCaffrey though, who was still gigantic.
    Michael Salfino, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The flavor is overwhelmingly oversized, proving that few things look as luxurious as swimming around in a gigantic khaki coat.
    Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The public is advised to stay alert, particularly in active waterways with boat traffic, as whales can surface unexpectedly.
    Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Each watertight bubble contains a colorful object, such as a duck or whale, to distract your little one while they’re being cleaned.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Invisible House, a new work by Zosha Di Castri, has the orchestra reveling in bright and jangly sounds like a giant Ukrainian folk band.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The filmmaker contrasts her bucolic nature scenes with shots of the giant ships passing by and the interiors and exteriors of the factories located near the island, belching smoke and lit up at night like a forbidding theme park.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The feathers were partially adapted for diving, yet retained primitive, fuzzy down typical of non-avian dinosaurs.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The feather dates back to the late Cretaceous, right before the great extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs and a large swath of other species.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The cast’s Blackness is a huge part of this — signifying is in their blood — but the impact spread across the whole franchise.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That was a play with huge ramifications that, to some extent, still sticks with Williams.
    Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Similarly, Zo — seen recently as the monster hunter in Na Hong-jin’s delirious sci-fi action epic, Hope — stays for most of the running time just the right side of smug entitlement.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Having created this monster, Hansen now has to feed it; going up against Lost, To Catch a Predator needs to best itself every week.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Light can carry enormous amounts of information, and optical connections can offer high bandwidth over relatively long distances.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps Vance’s affection for Carlson has more to do with holding the loyalty of his friend’s enormous audience.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • At 80, Steinem celebrated her birthday by riding an elephant in Botswana.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the process of making the film, the team is currently gathering memories, photos, videos, and stories from anyone who has encountered Happy and the six other Dwarf elephants.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mammoth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mammoth. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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