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Synonym Chooser

How is the word prodigious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of prodigious are monstrous, stupendous, and tremendous. While all these words mean "extremely impressive," prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

When is monstrous a more appropriate choice than prodigious?

The meanings of monstrous and prodigious largely overlap; however, monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.

the monstrous waste of the project

When would stupendous be a good substitute for prodigious?

The words stupendous and prodigious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

When might tremendous be a better fit than prodigious?

While the synonyms tremendous and prodigious are close in meaning, tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

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 prodigious This was achieved with a prodigious amount of Swarovski crystals, said Carpenter’s stylist, Jared Ellner—30,000 per corset. Abby Aguirre, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025 Days of formal ceremonies and remembrances from political leaders, business titans and rank-and-file citizens have honored Carter, who died Dec. 29 at the age of 100, for decency and using a prodigious work ethic to do more than obtain political power. Bill Barrow, The Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2025 But there are 175 of them — which meant the film needed a prodigious ensemble of motion capture performers. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2025 Born in 1914, Barbara Newhall Follett was a prodigious literary talent. Patti Callahan Henry, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prodigious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodigious
Adjective
  • Frank is a business leader, with a tremendous track record of transforming large corporations.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • In fact, Holloway was regarded as a tremendous athlete on his draft day, and the worry surrounded his ability to score in the NHL.
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Embracing different cultures: There is plenty of wonderful Mexican culture depicted throughout the film, from cooking traditional dishes to the vibrant atmosphere.
    Alex Vance, Parents, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Cherish these moments and know that your efforts to preserve their voices are a wonderful tribute to your relationships.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Last weekend's enormous storm spun 100 tornadoes so far confirmed by the National Weather Service, which is still conducting surveys.
    John Bacon, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The property also comes with an enormous 5,282 square feet of garage space and 2,295 square feet of covered porches and loggias.
    David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • An astonishing, loopy and very true World War II story about Great Britain tricking Germany into believing false invasion plans has been the source material for non-fiction books and movies dramas.
    Frank Rizzo, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
  • This was a 90% increase over the 9.9 million viewers who tuned in for the 2023 final and an astonishing 288% jump from 2022.
    Jenn Nelson, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The Hauraki Gulf is a vast and ecologically rich body of water that stretches from Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • That granted fans in attendance free Chick-fil-A and showcased the vast improvement Garcia has made in his swing this spring.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Keep shopping for even more amazing discounts on affordable luxury bags below.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2025
  • To push attendance higher and garner more interest MLR needs to deliver an amazing product and Americans need to win.
    Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Last year saw a huge uptick in tornadoes later in the spring and activity continued through December, with nearly 2,000 tornado reports in total.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
  • More: Top Armed Services Republican and Democrat call for independent probe of Hegseth and Signal leak The retired lieutenant colonel said Hegseth appeared to have added real time updates from a secure Defense Department messaging system – a huge breach of security.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • One traffic violation on a Kansas highway led to the miraculous rescue of a 6-year-old girl who had been kidnapped.
    Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Colorado State’s Jalen Lake hit a miraculous triple over high hands in similar circumstances.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Prodigious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodigious. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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