mammoth 1 of 2

Definition of mammothnext

mammoth

2 of 2

noun

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

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
An elevator opened and closed, showing mammoth Venus flytraps snapping for food, a cat’s eye that was a big as house and then, finally, Anastasio soloing away. Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026 Earlier finds have revealed bones of mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, reindeer and wild horse, alongside stone tools and evidence of human occupation across multiple periods. CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Researchers analyzed more than 3,000 markings on 260 objects, including the mammoth, that were found in caves in Germany. Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2026 The 6-8, 315-pound offensive lineman is a mammoth of a man. James Boyd, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mammoth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mammoth
Adjective
  • Those institutions are largely unconcerned with the small- and medium-sized enterprises that Fasanara has become so accustomed to financing and would much rather continue to focus on large, mainstream corporate clients, where the returns are gigantic.
    Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The wide-plank floors and exposed rafters preserve some of the 1800s charm, along with gigantic fireplaces in the living room and the kitchen.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Our days were spent beach combing on semi-secret islands with up-close views of whales, porpoises, and eagles.
    Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Since 2015, there have been delays in all but one commercial Dungeness season in the Bay Area, mostly because of whale entanglements.
    Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Just last month, his government paid a French energy company $1 billion to abandon two giant East Coast wind farm projects and use the check to invest in oil and gas projects instead.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Instead, there’s now a concrete tunnel that looks like a giant piece of abstract art.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • My father-in-law traveled with us, and my kids enjoyed the day with their grandpa digging for dinosaur bones and learning about electricity and the solar system.
    Linnea Bailey, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Small plastic children’s toys lined at the top of the car — dinosaurs and dump trucks and sharks — creating their own shrunken skyline in front of the Vertigo, signaling that young kids likely lived there.
    Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • However — and this is significant — Buffett faced some years with huge losses.
    Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
  • But land developers and speculators reap huge profits, the state and local governments gleefully do their bidding.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The wereboar growled next to Black Pudding, a hulking vicious monster, both focused on ripping Puck and Cordelia to shreds.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Daniel Bernhardt is Deathstalker, a legendary swordsman stuck with a cursed amulet who befriends swamp monsters and teams with a mini wizard (voiced by Patton Oswalt) to stop a dark magic from ruling the land.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • At the center of this discussion is China’s reported domestic AI computing capacity, which has reached an enormous scale measured in exaflops, or quintillions of calculations per second.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Although Nikki, who has a knack for DIY mechanical engineering, is able to furnish the gang with new gadgets, their plans pretty much always come down to almost getting eaten by some enormous otherworldly creature before being rescued at the last possible millisecond by El’s telekinesis.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • On the tour with Krueger, Ingrid Barkow watched from her wheelchair as the elephants roamed their habitat, while Monika Jansen balanced on her tiptoes to get a better view of a rhinoceros.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • In India, the Queen showed her appreciation for the country by touring the Taj Mahal and riding an elephant.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mammoth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mammoth. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

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