Definition of tremendousnext

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of tremendous are monstrous, prodigious, and stupendous. While all these words mean "extremely impressive," tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

When might monstrous be a better fit than tremendous?

In some situations, the words monstrous and tremendous are roughly equivalent. 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 is it sensible to use prodigious instead of tremendous?

The synonyms prodigious and tremendous are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 stupendous a more appropriate choice than tremendous?

Although the words stupendous and tremendous have much in common, stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

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 tremendous Goldman, who also serves as the American College of Physicians’ liaison to ACIP, said that if and when the group moves forward, there will be a tremendous accumulation of work. Erika Edwards, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026 The musical is based on the tremendous Tim Burton movie of the same name from 1988, which starred Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara and, of course, Michael Keaton in the title role. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026 Evan Carter will not start on opening day, replaced in the lineup by Sam Haggerty, who has tremendous splits against lefties. Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026 If the two sides couldn’t come together in time for the new season, which typically begins in May, then the league’s tremendous momentum over the past few years would be erased—maybe for good. Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tremendous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tremendous
Adjective
  • Video from Chopper 2 shows the huge animal lying in the sand at the Queens beach Thursday.
    Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • But, if the goal was to draw attention, the Weather Underground’s bombing campaign was a huge success.
    Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Even if giant, enormous voids with no stars and galaxies in them at all did exist, this structure couldn’t possibly be one of those.
    Big Think, Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Wall Street’s footprint in New York remains enormous.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
    Francine Russo, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Despite standing at 6-foot-2 and playing a game more suited for a forward six inches taller, Payton entered Friday night having made 16 consecutive field goals, the vast majority of them being opportunistic dunks and layups off smart cuts and putbacks.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The first time the scorebug appeared, it was accompanied by a gigantic advertisement that significantly increased the amount of space the graphic took up and remained for the entire inning.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Grow the infrastructure at Stockton’s gigantic port.
    Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • For larger groups or families, the already massive two-bedroom penthouse can become a three-bedroom behemoth thanks to an optional adjoining suite.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
  • His Iran deal would have led to a colossal arsenal of massive nuclear weapons for Iran.
    James Powel, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • For the latter, a federal program known as 340B does an immense amount of good filling in the gaps in drug affordability.
    Demetrius Atsalis, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The conferences outside the Power Four in football and Power Five in men’s basketball receive immense benefits (financial and otherwise) from their association with the top-tier programs.
    Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Primarily considered a test mission, Artemis II could represent a giant step toward NASA's goal of returning astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo missions came to an end in 1972.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Over the past two years, restaurant and takeout costs have climbed at a faster pace than grocery channels, according to consulting giant McKinsey.
    John Kell, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In order to get the money for these unprecedented projects, data-center providers are beginning to take on colossal amounts of debt.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Brecher's image reveals the 30-light-year-wide emission nebula NGC 2359, whose bubble-like form was sculpted by the stellar wind blasting out from the colossal Wolf-Rayet star at its heart.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tremendous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tremendous. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on tremendous

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster