GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE SIZE OR AMOUNT - Cambridge English Thesaurus article page AI Assistant Dictionary Translate Grammar Thesaurus +Plus Cambridge Dictionary +Plus Games Cambridge Dictionary +Plus My profile +Plus help Log out {{userName}} Cambridge Dictionary +Plus My profile +Plus help Log out Log in / Sign up English (UK) 1 ? true : false } }), searchAutoComplete.changeToLayoutContainer(); tap:AMP.setState({ stateSearch: { autocomplete: stateSearch.dataset != 'wordlists' && stateSearch.term.length 1 } })" / Thesaurus 1) ? '/autocomplete/amp?dataset=' + stateSearch.dataset + '&q=' + stateSearch.term : 'https://'" 0 && stateHdr.searchDesk ? 'pa pdd chac-sb tc-bd bw hbr-20 hbss lpt-25' : 'hdn'" {{word}} {{#beta}} Beta{{/beta}} {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{^selected}} {{name}} {{/selected}} {{/preferredDictionaries}} Thesaurus article: greater than the average size or amount greater than the average size or amount These words are used to refer to things that are greater than average size or amount. The two most common words for this, and the words with the broadest meanings, are big and large. They can sometimes be used interchangeably, but there are some differences in their use. Big is slightly more informal than large and is not used in formal writing. Big is sometimes used in combination with words like eater and spender to talk about a person who does a lot of the stated thing. They live in a big house in the country. I think the biggest problem is that I stopped working out. The national deficit is over $25 trillion dollars - that's way too big a number. He's a big spender, and at the rate he's going, he'll be broke by morning. Large is used to describe numbers or amounts compared to what would be considered average or usual. It is also used specifically to describe general clothing sizes. It is slightly more formal than big and is also used of abstract and concrete things like big. A large number of people were crowded into the room. It was a national disaster on a large scale. Do you want a small, medium, or large coffee? I think I need a larger size. The opposite of large is small. The opposite of big is little. You are allowed one small suitcase on board the plane. They live in a little cottage. For more opposites of large and big, see the article at small. Great is usually used with abstract things, and is common in formal writing. The party was a great success. If something is very big in size, amount, or degree, you can say it is enormous, huge, or massive. In more formal contexts, you can also use immense and vast. They bought an enormous house in the suburbs. The explosion left a huge crater. His debut album was a huge success The building work has caused massive disruption. The family had amassed immense wealth. There are vast distances between the stars. The vast majority of voters are in favour of the ballot measure. The opposite of huge, enormous , and massive is tiny. Tiny refers to things that are extremely small in size, amount, or degree. She was holding a tiny baby. It was just a tiny pay rise. The word gigantic also means very big, and is used mainly for emphasis. The words gargantuan, mammoth, and colossal are also used, especially in newspapers and in literature. Ginormous can be used informally. There's a gigantic spider in the bathroom. He has a gargantuan appetite. They have a mammoth task ahead of them. Colossal sums have been wasted on this project. The guy has a ginormous ego. Large amounts can be described as sizeable, substantial, hefty, or considerable. Sizeable is the UK English spelling of this word. In US English, it is spelled sizable. UK You should be prepared to make a sizeable investment. She is known to have made substantial donations to charity. The speeding motorist was given a hefty fine. Considerable criticism has been levelled at her leadership. When a large amount or degree is a positive thing, you can use tidy, respectable, generous, handsome, or good. Tidy is an informal word, and good is often used to emphasize the large size, amount, or degree. Goodly is an old-fashioned word that refers to a large amount. This year we made a tidy profit. The party picked up a respectable number of ethnic-minority votes. The novel is served up with a generous measure of wit. There will still be handsome profits to be made. She spends a good proportion of her time working on business forecasts. A goodly portion of the objects on show are real rarities. A collection or group that is large and includes a range of different things can be described as extensive. I have an extensive collection of 20th-century watercolours. An extremely large number or amount can be described as astronomical. Astronomical can also be used to say that the price of something is extremely high. Professional footballers are paid astronomical sums. The price is so astronomical we can't afford it. For more words for high prices, see the article at expensive. Large and heavy objects can be described as hefty. I propped the door open with a hefty coffee-table book. Objects that occupy a lot of space and are awkward to lift or carry can be described as bulky. It's a large car with plenty of room for bulky luggage. Related articles having a body that is bigger than average Browse giving pleasure and holding your attention good at doing something because of practice good enough but not excellent good or important because of unusual qualities greater than the average size or amount greater than the usual level or amount happening by chance with no cause or reason happening or seen often having a bad result or outcome {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}} Word of the Day comfort zone UK Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio /ˈkʌm.fət ˌzəʊn/ US Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio /ˈkʌm.fɚt ˌzoʊn/ a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested About this Blog Hitting the nail on the head: idioms with ‘hit’ July 22, 2026 Read More has been added to list To top AI Assistant Contents greater than the average size or amount having a body that is bigger than average AI Assistant Facebook Instagram X © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2026 Learn Learn Learn New Words Help In Print Word of the Year 2021 Word of the Year 2022 Word of the Year 2023 Word of the Year 2024 Word of the Year 2025 Develop Develop Develop Dictionary API Double-Click Lookup Search Widgets License Data About About About Accessibility Cambridge English Cambridge University Press & Assessment Consent Management Cookies and Privacy Corpus Terms of Use AI Terms of Use Facebook Instagram X © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2026 {{#displayLoginPopup}} Cambridge Dictionary +Plus Learn more with +Plus Sign up for free and get access to exclusive content: Free word lists and quizzes from Cambridge Tools to create your own word lists and quizzes Word lists shared by our community of dictionary fans Sign up now or Log in Cambridge Dictionary +Plus Learn more with +Plus Create word lists and quizzes for free Sign up now or Log in {{/displayLoginPopup}} {{#displayClassicSurvey}} {{/displayClassicSurvey}} Cambridge Dictionary +Plus My profile +Plus help Log out AI Assistant Dictionary Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English Translations Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. 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Sign up or Log in My word lists Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one. {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{#message}} {{message}} {{/message}} {{^message}} Something went wrong. {{/message}} {{/verifyErrors}} 5 && !stateSidebarWordList.expended) ? 195 : (stateSidebarWordListItems.length * 39)" [src]="stateSidebarWordListItems" {{name}} 5 && !stateSidebarWordList.expended) ? 'hao hp lmt-25' : 'hdn'" More Go to your word lists {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{#message}} {{message}} {{/message}} {{^message}} Something went wrong. {{/message}} {{/verifyErrors}} Tell us about this example sentence: The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word. The sentence contains offensive content. Cancel Submit Thanks! 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