mass 1 of 3

Definition of massnext
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as in body
a distinct and separate portion of matter a mass of leaves in a corner of the yard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in majority
the largest part or quantity of something believes that the great mass of voters are in the political center and consider themselves neither conservative nor liberal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a huge mass of people had gathered in the park to protest the government's latest policy

Synonyms & Similar Words

mass

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adjective

mass

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verb

as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass clouds massing on the western side of the mountain range

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mass different from other nouns like it?

The words bulk and volume are common synonyms of mass. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

Where would bulk be a reasonable alternative to mass?

While the synonyms bulk and mass are close in meaning, bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

In what contexts can volume take the place of mass?

The words volume and mass are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

How is the word mass different from other nouns like it?

The words bulk and volume are common synonyms of mass. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

Where would bulk be a reasonable alternative to mass?

While the synonyms bulk and mass are close in meaning, bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

In what contexts can volume take the place of mass?

The words volume and mass are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

How is the word mass different from other nouns like it?

The words bulk and volume are common synonyms of mass. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

Where would bulk be a reasonable alternative to mass?

While the synonyms bulk and mass are close in meaning, bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

In what contexts can volume take the place of mass?

The words volume and mass are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

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 mass
Noun
And while some tech companies have initiated mass layoffs owing to AI automation, including Jack Dorsey’s Block and most recently Snap, the technology’s impact on the labor market has yet to appear in macro data. Jake Angelo, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026 Edelman has worked on a number of major cases, including playing a role in Bryan Kohberger's successful motion for a change of venue in the Idaho student murders and the trial of Buffalo supermarket mass shooter Payton Gendron. Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Ikner also previously spent more than an hour on his YouTube channel defending a far-right racist conspiracy theory ‒ the same one that motivated some of the bloodiest mass shootings in history, the Tallahassee Democrat previously reported. Jeff Burlew, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026 The mass trial began Tuesday, with many suspects pleading guilty to charges brought against them by the Nigerian government. ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
The nectar plants should be massed together in groups of three and five by color. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026 Such shootings have ranged from isolated events between service members to mass casualty events, such as the shooting by an Army psychiatrist at Texas' Ford Hood in 2009 that left 13 people dead. CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mass
Noun
  • Barak was cognizant of how the Arab populace would perceive Israeli involvement.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Iranian regime is deeply unpopular with its populace.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As trucks roared up the landfill and dumped fresh loads of trash, adults and children alike rushed forward, gathering beneath cascading avalanches of waste to grab anything of value.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The 37-year-old is aging like fine wine, averaging nearly 26 points per game for the Houston Rockets while shouldering one of the heaviest minutes loads in the league.
    Joe Vardon, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Gold said there's no magic number, plus everyone's body is different.
    Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The film opens in silence, with Hamlet going straight from observing his father’s dead body to discovering that Claudius has decided to marry his mother (Sheeba Chaddha), and the actor’s mute bewilderment has genuine shock and power.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For many young Indian women, the change also carries symbolic weight.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Russ shifted his weight and rested his arm on the back of Cherry’s chair.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Unlike many professionals who sit at a desk with constant access to email, teachers are actively engaged with students for the majority of the day.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
  • The overwhelming majority of Bailey’s value will derive from his glove, not his bat.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This is a popular sunset spot, so expect throngs of other tourists (but don't worry, seeing the spectacle with fellow travelers can actually be quite fun).
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The couple stood in a throng of people waiting for Péter Magyar, who led the opposition to victory.
    Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Success feels local, personal, reciprocal.
    Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
  • The dialogue can even be reciprocal, Lucia said, with actors contributing suggestions about movement or camera angles.
    Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • No accumulating snow is expected on the Grapevine over Interstate 5 but there could be a mix of rain and snow there Monday morning.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2026
  • On a cruise ship, the tote carries sunscreen, a change of clothes for port days, market finds, a book, and whatever else the day accumulates.
    Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mass. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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