as in whale
something or someone that is unusually large and powerful
by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also elephant
as in mammoths
something or someone that is unusually large and powerful
by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 elephant
Paloma Chavez, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025
For the mammoth, that animal is the Asian elephant.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 16 Jan. 2025
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Dec. 2024
At that point the elephants, peaceful, placid and wise, will rise to power, and from them will rise an even greater Broadway musical.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elephant 
Noun
Eventually, he was euthanized at the zoo’s elephant barn at Sanctuary Asia, officials said.
—Paloma Chavez, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025
For the mammoth, that animal is the Asian elephant.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
But New York’s relationship to the elephant ancestors has a long history.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Dec. 2024
At that point the elephants, peaceful, placid and wise, will rise to power, and from them will rise an even greater Broadway musical.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elephant
Thesaurus Entries Near elephant
Cite this Entry
“Elephant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elephant. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share