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

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
Based on the dimensions of its humerus and femur, the corresponding hind leg bone, the researchers estimated Nagatitan’s body mass at 25 to 28 tons. Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026 Not all insurance covers it, and the high cost is one of the marks against the drugs, according to the Mayo Clinic, which also cites gastrointestinal problems, loss of muscle mass and bone density as potential negative side effects. Connie Ogle updated May 15, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Adjective
The country’s mass oil reserves discovered in the last decade have increased Guyana’s geopolitical importance, which has only amplified during a global energy crisis caused by the Iran war. ABC News, 15 May 2026 Trump blamed wind turbines for mass killing whales and birds. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
Trump has declared success and pressured Iran to agree to a deal to end the war, while massing new troops in the Middle East and threatening intense escalation if Tehran doesn't reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route. Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026 The nectar plants should be massed together in groups of three and five by color. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mass
Noun
  • People Acting Like Others When the TV series Star Trek initially gained popularity, a segment of the populace admired the tenor and nature of the Spock character.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Assayas portrays the Russian populace as merely manipulated, as if voters were blank slates for effective propaganda rather than people with moral compasses, capacities for judgment and humanity, ideas and opinions that demagogues recognize and stoke.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • There are loads of under-the-radar towns along these states' coastlines that have their own unique charms and draws.
    Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
  • Buckle up for loads of action and a wild ride through SoCal history and haunts.
    Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Hormones take the child’s body at puberty and conjure from it the adult form, directing the ovaries to mature their eggs or the testicles to produce sperm, each of these gametes containing the potential to create new life.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • Made from a lightweight, stretchy jersey material, this top naturally drapes gorgeously across the body.
    Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • When Azik tries to rid himself of the stigma, calling someone else weak as if to offload the physical weight of the insult, a startling act of violence occurs.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
  • There are books on everything from how to leverage dopamine for dressing well to dressmaking, from how to deploy dopamine fixes for weight loss to rewiring our brain’s dopamine to achieve athletic success.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • After last week's redistricting push by Tennessee Republicans, the thoroughfare now serves as a boundary line that fractures the majority-Black city's residents into three congressional seats that are likely to be held by Republicans.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 15 May 2026
  • The majority Democrats passed bills intended to curb the federal government’s impacts on the state.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Several senators were still in the building after holding a session when the gunshots were heard by a throng of journalists, including two from the Associated Press.
    Joeal Calupitan, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
  • Alex Tuch stood inside a conference room at the Four Seasons in Montreal with a throng of reporters around him and pointed the finger directly at himself.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Dog motherhood offers a version of care that is reciprocal without being all-consuming.
    Essence, Essence, 9 May 2026
  • Zelenskyy noted in a post on X that Ukraine would observe a reciprocal ceasefire starting at midnight on Tuesday.
    F. Brinley Bruton, NBC news, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Instruments and voices accumulate into immense, sustained, saturating dissonances, with a snare drum cutting through the tear-gas haze.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mass. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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