Synonym Chooser

How is the word enormous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of enormous are colossal, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.

an enormous expense
an immense shopping mall

When would colossal be a good substitute for enormous?

While in some cases nearly identical to enormous, colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

Where would gigantic be a reasonable alternative to enormous?

The synonyms gigantic and enormous are sometimes interchangeable, but gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When could huge be used to replace enormous?

While the synonyms huge and enormous are close in meaning, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When might mammoth be a better fit than enormous?

Although the words mammoth and enormous have much in common, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

When can vast be used instead of enormous?

In some situations, the words vast and enormous are roughly equivalent. However, vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

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 enormous At a rehearsal a few weeks earlier at the Nederlander Theater Menzel was on a platform, in a harness, a dozen feet off the ground in front of an enormous tree trunk — the set’s dramatic visual centerpiece — preparing to step into the air during a song about release. Brian Schaefer, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025 The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has three of those glowing Glyphs on the back, framing the enormous camera module. Ryan Whitwam, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025 But there are more visible and indecent »Paris Game« leftovers: the enormous/obscene sportsbook ads on display at every other métro station. Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 Having an enormous library also opens up direct-to-consumer opportunities for distributors, such as rolling out FAST channels. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enormous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enormous
Adjective
  • The 27-track album became a huge catalyst for the recent spotlight on Black country artists and the genre's roots.
    Caché McClay, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • To secure their release, many detainees surrendered huge sums of money and gave the government control of their companies.
    Ephrat Livni, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Of course, the vast majority of these conscious-community figures aren’t leading cults, breaking laws, or condoning anyone who is, but there’s an openness to unconventional beliefs and conspiracy theories that the more predatory characters take advantage of.
    David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
  • For much of her life, our writer consumed vast quantities of sugar every day.
    Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Houston validated it with a tremendous comeback win at Arizona.
    Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
  • And if the designation became a steppingstone to launching flashy unilateral military strikes on Mexican soil, the battle against fentanyl smuggling would suffer a tremendous setback.
    Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This is the Hoosiers’ second gigantic Quad 1 win in the past two weeks, including a win at Michigan State.
    Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
  • In 2010 astronomers detected a gigantic gas cloud 31,000 light-years from Earth, on the other side of our galaxy.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The Senate's version would break it up into two pieces for the sake of speed, and the House's version would wrap it into one massive package in the hopes of squeezing it through their narrow Republican majority.
    Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
  • The role of hybrid computing in areas where massive amounts of data processing are needed, including cryptography and complex simulations, will likely become more important moving forward.
    Ashish Sukhadeve, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • So that was the Warner Bros. connection, and Harold and Warner Bros. did me a giant favor by sending Vision Quest to Stanley Kubrick.
    Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
  • But the ever-growing Baja side of the menu now includes fish tacos, snapper Veracruz, a spicy sausage queso and margaritas the size of a giant fishbowl.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Loading your audio article California’s small businesses — employers to more than half the state’s workforce — are staring down what some owners, experts and advocates say could be immense negative consequences from President Donald Trump’s slew of executive orders.
    Levi Sumagaysay, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Given its immense popularity, Disney's decision to implement a virtual queue was expected.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • While most coffee cake recipes don’t involve any coffee at all, these colossal bakery-style muffins take the recipe name a bit more literally.
    Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2025
  • Despite its colossal size, the look managed to exude an ethereal aura with its floaty, sheer layers and curved draping details on the sweetheart-neckline bodice.
    Justine Fisher, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enormous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enormous. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on enormous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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