large
Americanadjective
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larger,
comparative
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largest
superlative
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of more than average size, quantity, degree, etc.; exceeding that which is common to a kind or class; big; great.
a large house; a large number; in large measure; to a large extent.
- Antonyms:
- small
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on a great scale.
a large producer of kitchen equipment.
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of great scope or range; extensive; broad.
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grand or pompous.
a man given to large, bombastic talk.
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(of a map, model, etc.) representing the features of the original with features of its own that are relatively large so that great detail may be shown.
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famous; successful; important.
He's very large in financial circles.
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Obsolete. generous; bountiful; lavish.
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Obsolete.
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unrestrained in the use of language; gross; improper.
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unrestrained in behavior or manner; uninhibited.
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Nautical. free.
noun
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Music. the longest note in mensural notation.
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Obsolete. generosity; bounty.
adverb
idioms
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at large,
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free from restraint or confinement; at liberty.
The murderer is still at large.
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to a considerable extent; at length.
to treat a subject at large.
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as a whole; in general.
the country at large.
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Also at-large representing the whole of a state, district, or body rather than one division or part of it.
a delegate at large.
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Also at-large having a general, as opposed to a specific, role in an organization or project.
She’s the magazine’s editor-at-large.
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in large, on a large scale; from a broad point of view: Also in the large
a problem seen in large.
adjective
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having a relatively great size, quantity, extent, etc; big
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of wide or broad scope, capacity, or range; comprehensive
a large effect
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having or showing great breadth of understanding
a large heart
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nautical (of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction
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rare overblown; pretentious
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generous
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obsolete (of manners and speech) gross; rude
noun
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(esp of a dangerous criminal or wild animal) free; not confined
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roaming freely, as in a foreign country
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as a whole; in general
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in full detail; exhaustively
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See ambassador
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as a totality or on a broad scale
adverb
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nautical with the wind blowing from a favourable direction
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(sentence modifier) generally; as a rule
by and large, the man is the breadwinner
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nautical towards and away from the wind
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to be very prominent or important
Usage
What are other ways to say large?
Something that is large is of more than average size, quantity, or degree. How does large compare to great and big? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of large
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin larga, feminine of largus “ample, generous”
Explanation
Large means the size of an item, such as clothing, that falls between medium and extra-large. If you realize your size has changed from medium to large, it might be time to cut back on the cupcakes. Something that is above average in size or number can be described with the adjective large. Your large collection of bottle caps, which covers the walls of three rooms in your house, is a perfect example. Large also describes something that covers a broad spectrum or scope. You might love being an American studies major because your classes cover a large range of topics.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Known for his math skills and obsession with exotic parrots, Lemssouguer has faced big swings before, given his penchant for taking large stakes in companies in turmoil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
As part of their final artwork project, students in St Patrick's Keady worked with an artist on a large mix media collage that included a tree representing growth and a heart representing support.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
However, the large number of fossils from Drimolen, some of which are published in this paper, allow an unprecedented insight into the micro-evolutionary changes that shaped human ancestors.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
Companies are using ContentForge to create a digital footprint that allows their products to be picked up and suggested by large language models, Medeiros said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
The drive-in directly in front of him featured a large metallic awning— light brown and yellow with green trim.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
This fairly straightforward method is also used by computer programs in nearly every field to solve far larger systems of equations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
As Treasury yields climb, the pool of willing buyers gets larger.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
While Homo erectus was developing a larger brain and smaller molar teeth, possibly as a result of eating more meat, P. robustus retained a brain only slightly larger than that of chimpanzees.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
“With an event of this magnitude, the chances of experiencing impacts consistent with El Niño are larger, though not guaranteed,” the Climate Prediction Center said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
It was much larger than it appeared on the outside.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Many of the nation’s largest retailers are struggling through similar automation transitions as pressure grows to boost sales and ship merchandise to homes faster without spending a fortune on additional workers or facilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
India is one of the world's largest internet markets but access remains uneven, particularly in remote areas where mobile networks and broadband cables are difficult or expensive to build.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The IPO would have been Australia’s largest since the partial privatization of telecommunications provider Telstra, which raised about US$10 billion in 1997.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The world’s largest wildlife crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills is barreling toward a Dec. 2 completion date.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
“I miss you, Grandma,” I whisper, touching the largest picture with my palm pattern.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
