1
capitalized
: the liturgy of the Eucharist (see eucharist sense 1) especially in accordance with the traditional Latin rite (see rite sense 1)
2
often capitalized
: a celebration of the Eucharist (see eucharist sense 1)
Sunday masses held at three different hours
3
: a musical setting for the ordinary of the Mass
Bach's Mass in B Minor
1
a
: a quantity or aggregate of matter usually of considerable size
c
: the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia and that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains and causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
2
: a large quantity, amount, or number
a mass of material
3
a
: a large body of persons in a group
a mass of spectators
b
: the great body of the people as contrasted with the elite
—often used in plural
the underprivileged and disadvantaged masses—
C. A. Buss
C. A. Buss
massed; massing; masses
: to form or collect into a mass
: to assemble in a mass
three thousand students had massed in the plaza—A. E. Neville
A. E. Neville1
a
: of or relating to the mass of the people
mass market
b
: participated in by or affecting a large number of individuals
mass destruction
c
: having a large-scale character
mass plantings of tulips
2
: viewed as a whole : total
the mass effect of a design
Synonyms
Examples of mass in a Sentence
Verb
A large crowd of demonstrators massed outside the courthouse.
Clouds were massing on the horizon.
The generals massed their troops.
Adjective
Television is a mass medium.
Recent Examples on the WebJuliet MacUr, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Ye, 18, is accused of plotting to commit a mass shooting at Thomas Wootton High School and his former elementary school.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024
Columbine High School shooting Key date: April 20, 1999
What happened: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 24 in a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Expand All After shutting down for more than a week after a mass shooting that killed two people, Martini Bar Doral reopened Thursday.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
The last search was a reference to the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The authorities had signaled that any political protests would be met with overwhelming force and mass arrests.
—Simon Shuster / Vilnius, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
For the first time ever, all three areas of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park—for which this is the fifth mass bleaching event since 2016—are experiencing high levels of bleaching simultaneously, reports BBC News’ Georgina Rannard.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Trending topics were whatever users were talking most about: the latest iPhone, Pi Day, or more pressing subjects like mass shootings and protests.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Alternative investments can provide unique opportunities to mass affluent investors, especially those who take the time to understand what sets them apart from other investments.
—Thomas H. Ruggie, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Where cars and crowds of people once massed, only tendrils of smoke rise from smoldering piles of trash, sending a bitter taste into the air.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
This crisis has had ripple effects on Iraqi Kurdish society and is one of the contributing factors to mass emigration and the 2021-22 migrant crisis on Belarus’s border.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Attacks and arson have also displaced thousands of people who have massed into dozens of displacement camps across the city.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
But Russia’s ability to mass produce its drones on an industrial scale is also a pressing problem.
—Yurii Shyvala, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024
March to War In March 2021, the Russian military started massing troops along the border with Ukraine.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
On return journeys, their boats were first full of food and medicine — then later, with explosives and Ukrainian soldiers, who secretly massed on the Dnieper’s western shores.
—Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2024
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said this could drag Egypt into the war and facilitate a mass exodus of Gazans who may never be allowed to return.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 26 Apr. 2024
One of the attorneys who departed the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office as part of a mass exodus under former City Attorney Tearman Spencer is returning.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2024
President Biden has issued mass pardons for marijuana possession offenses and urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule pot, so that it may be legally prescribed by physicians.
—David Pozen, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
The Dolphins experienced a mass exodus of contributors in free agency but retooled with several low-cost and potentially high-value signings.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
The stock had already — repeatedly — hit new 52-week lows last week after analysts cut their ratings and price targets in the wake of mass layoffs and the departure of multiple executives.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2024
Indeed, the Crowes’ sleaziest southern rock opus was denied mass distribution when Walmart and other retailers refused to sell it due to its cover photo, a move which contributed to it falling short of the platinum sales of its two predecessors.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 21 Apr. 2024
If ocean temperatures don’t return to normal, bleaching can lead to mass coral death, threatening the species and food chains that rely on them with collapse.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Noun
The mass shooting in 2018 at a high school in Parkland, Fla., resulted in the Justice Department paying families $127.5 million.
—Juliet MacUr, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Ye, 18, is accused of plotting to commit a mass shooting at Thomas Wootton High School and his former elementary school.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024
Columbine High School shooting Key date: April 20, 1999
What happened: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 24 in a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Expand All After shutting down for more than a week after a mass shooting that killed two people, Martini Bar Doral reopened Thursday.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
The last search was a reference to the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The authorities had signaled that any political protests would be met with overwhelming force and mass arrests.
—Simon Shuster / Vilnius, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
For the first time ever, all three areas of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park—for which this is the fifth mass bleaching event since 2016—are experiencing high levels of bleaching simultaneously, reports BBC News’ Georgina Rannard.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Trending topics were whatever users were talking most about: the latest iPhone, Pi Day, or more pressing subjects like mass shootings and protests.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
These factors together can make the uphill climb to mass EV purchases even steeper.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Alternative investments can provide unique opportunities to mass affluent investors, especially those who take the time to understand what sets them apart from other investments.
—Thomas H. Ruggie, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Where cars and crowds of people once massed, only tendrils of smoke rise from smoldering piles of trash, sending a bitter taste into the air.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
This crisis has had ripple effects on Iraqi Kurdish society and is one of the contributing factors to mass emigration and the 2021-22 migrant crisis on Belarus’s border.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Attacks and arson have also displaced thousands of people who have massed into dozens of displacement camps across the city.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
But Russia’s ability to mass produce its drones on an industrial scale is also a pressing problem.
—Yurii Shyvala, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024
March to War In March 2021, the Russian military started massing troops along the border with Ukraine.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
On return journeys, their boats were first full of food and medicine — then later, with explosives and Ukrainian soldiers, who secretly massed on the Dnieper’s western shores.
—Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Americans won’t stand for participation in mass murder again to bolster a terrorist state that bombs, slaughters and starves children, women, families, aid workers, doctors and journalists, then augers for a wider war.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said this could drag Egypt into the war and facilitate a mass exodus of Gazans who may never be allowed to return.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 26 Apr. 2024
One of the attorneys who departed the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office as part of a mass exodus under former City Attorney Tearman Spencer is returning.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2024
President Biden has issued mass pardons for marijuana possession offenses and urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule pot, so that it may be legally prescribed by physicians.
—David Pozen, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
The Dolphins experienced a mass exodus of contributors in free agency but retooled with several low-cost and potentially high-value signings.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
The stock had already — repeatedly — hit new 52-week lows last week after analysts cut their ratings and price targets in the wake of mass layoffs and the departure of multiple executives.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2024
Indeed, the Crowes’ sleaziest southern rock opus was denied mass distribution when Walmart and other retailers refused to sell it due to its cover photo, a move which contributed to it falling short of the platinum sales of its two predecessors.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 21 Apr. 2024
If ocean temperatures don’t return to normal, bleaching can lead to mass coral death, threatening the species and food chains that rely on them with collapse.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mass
Cite this Entry
“Mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mass. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mass
1 of 4 noun1
capitalized
: a series of prayers and ceremonies forming the eucharistic service especially of the Roman Catholic Church
2
often capitalized
: a celebration of the Eucharist
3
: a musical setting for parts of the Mass
mass
2 of 4 noun1
a
: a quantity of matter or the form of matter that holds or clings together in one body
a mass of metal
b
: large size : bulk
c
: the principal part : main body
2
: the quantity of matter in a body
weight is the force on a mass due to gravity
3
: a large amount or number
4
plural
: the common people
mass
3 of 4 verb
: to form or collect into a mass
mass
4 of 4 adjective1
: of, relating to, or designed for the mass of the people
mass market
2
: participated in by or affecting a large number of individuals
mass demonstrations
Etymology
Noun
Old English mæsse "religious service," from Latin missa, literally "dismissal at the end of a religious service," derived from earlier missus, past participle of mittere "to send"
Noun
Middle English masse "a large body or quantity of material," from early French masse (same meaning), from Latin massa (same meaning), from Greek maza "mass"
Medical Definition
mass
noun1
: the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia, that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains, that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field, and that along with length and time constitutes one of the fundamental quantities on which all physical measurements are based
2
: a homogeneous pasty mixture compounded for making pills, lozenges, and plasters
blue mass
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