Definition of volumenext
1
2
as in amount
a given or particular mass or aggregate of matter produces great volumes of work each day

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in capacity
the largest number or amount that something can hold state the barrel's volume in terms of gallons

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

The words bulk and mass are common synonyms of volume. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

When can bulk be used instead of volume?

The meanings of bulk and volume largely overlap; however, bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

When might mass be a better fit than volume?

The words mass and volume are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

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 volume Compression typically shows as fewer invoices and smaller invoice sizes simultaneously; seasonal shifts usually affect volume but not deal size. — Pushkar Mukewar, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026 Le Cordon Bleu shared its curriculum in this seven-volume set, which includes more than 770 recipes from Julia Child's alma mater. — ABC News, 12 Nov. 2026 Nabers is the first read on third downs and in the red zone, and volume is the angle here. — FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2026 The process of generating many types of biomolecules in sufficient volumes could have been iterative and long, spanning perhaps hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 12 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for volume
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volume
Noun
  • The machine uses a Volvo Penta electric driveline and is rated to lay up to 551 US tons (500 tonnes) of asphalt per hour without producing exhaust emissions at the work site.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
  • But SpaceX is phasing out the Falcon 9 — and its heavy-lift cousin, the Falcon Heavy — nonetheless, shifting all launch work over to its fully reusable Starship megarocket, which can haul more than 100 tons to LEO.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Hover over a circleTap on a circle to see the amount of the bet and when it was made.
    — New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • In summary, the researchers created a temperature-sensing system that runs on an infinitesimal amount of electricity drawn from ambient radiation by a dedicated graphene energy harvester.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Polson did not respond to messages asking him to confirm all the books are his.
    — TODD WALLACK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • To be in easy reach of the spa, book into a room on the second floor, although note the corridor is prone to spa-traffic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Losing research capacity weakens our ability to generate the next sources of economic growth.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • This approach extends capacity beyond what manufacturers could achieve through shrinking a flat arrangement of cells alone.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The elasticity of the cloud isn’t available in an air-gapped on-premise environment; hence, the size needs to account for the peak loads.
    — Karan Alang, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • PlusAI is a company working on autonomous trucking solutions with Nvidia, and the sand was in the trailers to simulate freight loads.
    — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Poland's internal security agency (ABW) said the group supplied Russia with significant quantities of components for military use, mostly to make ammunition and weapons systems.
    — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026
  • This branch of mathematics deals with measuring geometric figures and investigating variable quantities, among other things.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Quentin Roseman of the Haldols was there, chatting with Veronica Vector, the director, by the table of vintage paperbacks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The small paperback is child-size with colorful pages and a simple story, to be read to, or by, children.
    — Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This story is based on internal documents, emails, agency data, recordings and interviews with more than two dozen current and former VA staffers, along with veterans and their families.
    — Eric Umansky, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Only 250 are available, and the first 50 orders get an extra dozen of Guard’s triple chocolate chip cookies.
    — Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 11 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Volume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volume. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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