Definition of prodigiousnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word prodigious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of prodigious are monstrous, stupendous, and tremendous. While all these words mean "extremely impressive," prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

When is monstrous a more appropriate choice than prodigious?

The meanings of monstrous and prodigious largely overlap; however, monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.

the monstrous waste of the project

When would stupendous be a good substitute for prodigious?

The words stupendous and prodigious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

When might tremendous be a better fit than prodigious?

While the synonyms tremendous and prodigious are close in meaning, tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

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 prodigious There is a prodigious amount of evidence that liquid water once ran on the Red Planet's surface, which initially led to a hypothesis that Mars was once warm and wet. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2026 Whatever that yields, Ward remains a prodigious and workmanlike subterranean rock figure. Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026 The Chopped spinoff ran for nine seasons between 2015 and 2019, and, in keeping with the franchise, features prodigious, young chefs making inventive meals from mystery ingredients. Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025 One of the day’s first skaters is Constantine, a prodigious, floppy-haired 11-year-old who’s working on his triple salchow. Blair Braverman, Outside, 22 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prodigious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodigious
Adjective
  • Thank you all for a wonderful discussion.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The team Pep Guardiola built in the early 2010s, combining the wonderful passing of Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta with the twinkling magic of Lionel Messi, will forever be remembered.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • And the country has tremendous long-term potential.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
  • There is little doubt that this is a rapidly developing field and that there are tremendous upsides to be had, but at the same time, regrettably, hidden risks and outright gotchas come into these endeavors, too.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • What extravagant actions can a life of astonishing clothes inspire?
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • There’s certainly the capital expenditure (Capex) figure, which is astonishing.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The effort reflects Beijing’s push to reduce its exposure to fragile overseas supply chains, as China remains the world’s largest consumer and importer of natural rubber, driven largely by its vast automotive and industrial sectors.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
  • SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
    Nature magazine, Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • His style obviously was amazing.
    Patrick McEnroe, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Hokkaido is a large island blessed with exceptional seafood, so not surprisingly, Sapporo has amazing sushi even by Japan’s lofty standards, and Hokkaido is world famous for its scallops.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • At its heart is a 38-meter-high domed lounge with dazzling gold-and-maroon Islamic fretwork walls and an enormous chandelier.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Modern society has fully embraced the label, placing enormous value on intellect and IQ.
    Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Georgia Tech nearly made a miraculous rally from a 15-point deficit late in their game against Virginia Tech Tuesday.
    AJC Sports, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
  • What did happen is still miraculous.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The final project aims to blend elements from space sims, first-person shooters, MMOs, and more into a massive amalgamation set in a huge, persistent universe.
    Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The Senate passed a package funding huge chunks of the federal government through September but setting a two-week stopwatch on the expiration of Homeland Security funding.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prodigious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodigious. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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