Synonym Chooser

How is the word vast distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of vast are colossal, enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, and mammoth. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

When might colossal be a better fit than vast?

The words colossal and vast can be used in similar contexts, but colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How do enormous and immense relate to one another, in the sense of vast?

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

Where would gigantic be a reasonable alternative to vast?

Although the words gigantic and vast have much in common, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When could huge be used to replace vast?

The synonyms huge and vast are sometimes interchangeable, but huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would mammoth be a good substitute for vast?

The meanings of mammoth and vast largely overlap; however, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

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 vast Health officials bracing for deep cuts within NIOSH include workers at the agency's Pittsburgh and Spokane offices, where some 200 staff — the vast majority of those working out of the locations — are expected to be impacted, according to a notice sent to their union. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 31 Mar. 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 Timbo gives Baby Timbo tracks from his vast archive of unreleased beats and song ideas, or newer creations, and turns it loose to reinvent them. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025 But the vast majority of residents, including children, receive the payout. Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vast
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
  • Apple didn’t invent the first smartphone or wireless headphones, but look at the enormous commercial success of the iPhone and AirPods.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The play still brought in an enormous $3.28 million, and played to a more than 100 percent capacity with an average ticket price of $298.83.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Goodbye millions of programmers, hello gigantic business savings.
    Gil Press, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • But Stanford is a rare school where even assistant coaches leaving doesn’t usually have a gigantic impact on recruiting.
    Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Most teams have a tremendous amount at stake in the final week of the season.
    Nick Crain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Head coach Geno Auriemma earned his 12th NCAA women's basketball championship Sunday, after an 82-58 rout over No. 1 seed South Carolina, a tremendous feat for his legendary career – the most of any men's or women's program in NCAA history.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Stevens, 86, suffered a massive stroke in 2016 and is currently in assisted living, according to her daughter, actress Joely Fisher.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
  • There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.
    The Dial, The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Dire wolves mostly ate horses and bison, with occasional forays into giant sloths and baby mammoths.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Born in Okayama, Japan, Hattori began his racing career on the open-wheel circuits of his home country before taking a giant leap across the Pacific to chase his dreams in America.
    Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The pushback from the legal community has been immense.
    Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Though Coulson died in September 2015, she was still included in the immense cast list of the 2017 Twin Peaks revival, filming a handful of scenes before her death.
    EW.com, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Tribe also added a fan zone to its band, allowing revelers to cool down under colossal fans, and a beer bus serving draft beer and plenty of laughs.
    Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • One of the biggest moves came just this week, when Trump imposed a colossal set of new tariffs on America’s trading partners.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vast. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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