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
The date is dangerously close to that of the opening of the Whitney’s mammoth Roy Lichtenstein exhibition, scheduled to begin member previews on October 8. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026 That projection is gargantuan, equivalent to the output from mammoth American economic engines, such as transportation, restaurants and hotels. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
These results raise some questions about how Ice Age hunter-gatherers interacted with wooly mammoths. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026 For a mammoth, a successful pregnancy in an elephant surrogate would drag on for almost two years. — Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mammoth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mammoth
Adjective
  • Or Mitch Moreland hits a gigantic late-inning homer in game four of a World Series game to make that series 3-1 instead of 2-2.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Still, a gigantic price target hike to $1,000 from $796 prior, representing 35% upside.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • While responding to the incident, crews observed three whales in the area off Fire Island National Seashore.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The region has a mild climate, and its beaches and lakes offer a host of opportunities for water activities during the fall, including whale watching, kayaking and paddleboarding.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Most of the time, Mark just flails, complains, and pouts like a giant baby, and Affleck’s twitchy, rapid-fire delivery can’t give the character any life or depth.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
  • If a crack reaches a giant zucchini’s internal cavity, the zucchini — known as marrow by growers — is disqualified.
    — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Founded in 1812, and opened to the public in 1828, the Academy of Natural Sciences was the first place in the world to display a dinosaur skeleton, back in 1868.
    — Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • One of the more notable objects is a full Psittacosaurus skeleton, a small, plant-eating dinosaur with a distinctive beak.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Thorton had the first two-touchdown game of his career and made the huge catch to set up the go-ahead touchdown before the injury.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This deprived the treasurers of huge assets that otherwise could have been invested to generate billions of dollars for the pensions — a gap present-day taxpayers must fill.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The story begins in 1990, when John Eng, an endocrinologist at the Veterans Administration, isolated a peptide from the venom of Gila monsters, the nearly two-foot-long lizards native to the Southwest.
    — Dr. Bowman Heiden, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Here the goal is to traverse a sprawling castle, defeating all kinds of monsters and gathering gear and experience points to get stronger.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • First developed in the 1950s, this aircraft has an enormous weapon payload capacity and intercontinental range.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
  • On top of store closures and unsold inventory, the company was choking on enormous debt from a private equity buyout in 2014.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Elephants can be extremely destructive and dangerous, and several African countries must confront the problem of elephant herds destroying farmers' crops and infrastructure as well as killing or injuring people.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The style’s unique details are what separates it from a standard Air Jordan 3, with a geometric pattern replacing the elephant print typically found on the model’s toe and heel overlays.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mammoth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mammoth. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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