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 The vast majority are held in private facilities run by GEO or corporate competitors like CoreCivic. Mckenzie Funk, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2025 In the early days, the former chief content officer was tasked with wrangling vast supplies of DVDs of hit films that Netflix could then ship to customers in its red envelopes. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025 Gabb Music offers a vast catalog of songs, all of which are selected by the Gabb team to include only kid- and teen-appropriate content. Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2025 The vast majority of cases are in people who are not vaccinated. Daniel Pastula, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vast
Adjective
  • The Atlanta Braves suffered a huge hit to the roster last season when their ace Spencer Strider went down with a torn UCL.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Watching this film will be huge, and then Coach getting on our (butts) will be big for us.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • Then try Wilmot’s Warehouse, a strangely cheerful take on working in a gigantic storage warehouse.
    Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Explaining this, the paper proposes that the gigantic impact which formed the roughly 1,600 mile (2,500 kilometers) wide SPA basin around 4.2 billion years ago modified the chemical and physical properties of the moon's mantle in this region.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Black Bag is a tremendous example that a film need not be making an explicit political point or obsessed with the political dimensions of its narrative to be worthwhile cinema.
    Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
  • One of the biggest questions in front of leaders—amid tremendous investment—is how to get meaningful value out of AI.
    Dan Adika, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There’s also the famed wreck dive site of the massive 236-foot-long Hilma Hooker, a former drug-running cargo ship that was sunk by port authorities in 1984 to form an multitiered artificial reef.
    Erik Trinidad, Travel + Leisure, 17 Mar. 2025
  • At the front of the cedar and concrete home, massive, double-height doors slide open to a breezeway.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • During that performance, Roan wore a pink gingham leather set by designer Zana Bayne—a riff on cowboy buckskins—and performed in front of a green screen with a giant tree and small critters dancing along to the song.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The giant pepper comes covered in roasted vegetables and queso fresco.
    Megan Stringer, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • As spring arrives and the weather warms, exposure to sunlight could have an immense impact on overall health.
    Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Pregnancy puts immense stress on the core, and Pilates can be a great way to keep your core strong throughout pregnancy and postpartum.4 How to Get Started in Pilates Get started in Pilates by joining a class at a local gym or Pilates studio.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The colossal storm will put over 100 million people at risk of severe weather, from blizzard conditions in the northern Plains to tornadoes and wildfires in the South.
    Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Lunar Client debuted in April 2019 and struggled financially in its early days, but the company remained self-funded, with founders often going unpaid, before the platform’s popularity gained colossal momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Matt Gardner, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vast. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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