large

adjective \ ˈlärj \

Updated on: 1 Dec 2017

Definition of large

larger; largest

1 obsolete : lavish

2 obsolete

a : ample, abundant

a large crop of apples

b : extensive, broad

a large expanse of farmland

3 a : having more than usual capacity or scope : comprehensive

take the large view

will take a larger role in the negotiations

b : powerful, forceful

had a large influence on the lives of his family

c : very successful or popular

a large rock band

4 a : exceeding most other things of like kind especially in quantity or size : big

a large number of complaints

b : dealing in great numbers or quantities

a large and highly profitable business

5 obsolete

a of language or expression : coarse, vulgar

b : lax in conduct : loose

6 of a wind : favorable

7 : extravagant, boastful

large talk

—

largeness

noun

—

largish

play \ˈlär-jish\ adjective

See large defined for English-language learners

See large defined for kids

Examples of large in a Sentence

a large glass of water
It's the largest city in the state.
These T-shirts are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Which city has the largest population?
Her policies are supported by a large part of the population.
A large number of workers have filed complaints.
He has a very large appetite.

Recent Examples of large from the Web

The race would be the largest yet, with over 250 runners set to attempt the 26.2-mile course, all of which would be run in Central Park.

— talya minsberg, New York Times, "How 6 Women Changed the New York City Marathon Forever," 4 Nov. 2017
The parade is one of the largest in Southern California, with more than 100 entries expected to participate.

— karen pearlman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Randy Jones to lead Mother Goose Parade," 3 Nov. 2017
Cranley's haul is the largest since the city began directly electing mayors in 2001.

— sharon coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "The $5 million Cincinnati election: Why so much?," 3 Nov. 2017
By contrast, the latest void is the largest and most definitive the project has yet identified.

— maya wei-haas, Smithsonian, "How Researchers Uncovered a Massive Void In The Great Pyramid of Giza," 3 Nov. 2017
The hack, among the largest ever recorded, was especially alarming due to the richness of the information exposed, which included names, birthdays, addresses and Social Security and driver’s license numbers, cyber researchers have said.

— Fortune, "Why Equifax Just Cleared the Executives Who Sold Shares Before the Massive Data Breach," 3 Nov. 2017
Both conducting large-scale combat operations and ignoring potential enemy safe havens is politically untenable.

— loren dejonge schulman, The Atlantic, "Washington Is Never Quite Sure Where It Is at War," 1 Nov. 2017
Seattle's Diagon Alley will be open to the public until Christmas, which is when Chambers will start working on his next large-scale project.

— zoe weiner, Teen Vogue, "Harry Potter Fan in Seattle Builds Life-Size Version of Diagon Alley for Halloween," 1 Nov. 2017
In the animals implanted with neuroblastoma cells, for instance, tumors were more than 10 times larger in the control animals than in the animals treated with AZD6738.

— mitch leslie, Science | AAAS, "Researchers find fatal flaw in childhood tumors," 1 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'large.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of large

Middle English, from Anglo-French, broad, wide, generous, from Latin largus generous, plentiful

large Synonyms

Synonyms

big, biggish, boxcar, bulky, considerable, goodly, grand, great, handsome, hefty, hulking, husky, largish, outsize (also outsized), oversize (or oversized), sizable (or sizeable), substantial, tidy, voluminous

Antonyms

bantam, dinky, dwarf, dwarfish, little, puny, shrimpy, small, smallish, undersized (also undersize)

Near Antonyms

diminutive, half-pint, infinitesimal, Lilliputian, little-bitty, microminiature, microscopic (also microscopical), mini, miniature, minuscule, minute, pint-size (or pint-sized), pocket-size (also pocket-sized), pygmy, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee; petite, slender, slight, slim, thin

large

adverb

Definition of large

1 obsolete : in abundance : amply, liberally

2 : with the wind abaft the beam

3 : in a large manner : extravagantly

living large

Examples of large in a Sentence

college students living large on generous allowances from indulgent parents

Recent Examples of large from the Web

This put the Democratic Party, which has by and large been pro-immigration and pro-labor, in a bind.

— priscilla alvarez, The Atlantic, "Can a Decades-Old Immigration Proposal Pass Under Trump?," 21 Aug. 2017
For many market observers, the financial crisis of 2007 to 2009, in which Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and American International Group nearly brought down the global financial system, looms large.

— josh zumbrun, WSJ, "IMF Identifies Nine Big Banks Likely to Struggle With Profitability," 11 Oct. 2017
The issue of immigration looms large both in the capital and elsewhere.

— saphora smith, NBC News, "Angela Merkel: How Germans See the World’s Most Powerful Woman," 22 Sep. 2017
The 6-5, 236-pound Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) senior also spent last weekend at Ohio State, and although the Buckeyes might hold a slight edge at this stage, his Nov. 18 official visit to Penn State looms large.

— tyler donohue, ajc, "Penn State Recruiting Mailbag: The latest with top DE targets Jayson Oweh, Micah Parsons and Tyreke Smith?," 14 Sep. 2017
Case in point: the supermodel—whose presence looms large in the fashion landscape of the ’90s—spent the weekend making her way to and from New York City for a walk down the Jeremy Scott runway.

— daise bedolla, Vogue, "Traveling With Kids: ‘90s Supermodel Devon Aoki and Away Show How Its Done," 12 Sep. 2017
If bodies are very large, cut into smaller pieces

— Bon Appetit, "Grilled Squid with Chile Dressing and Radishes," 19 July 2017
Puerto Rico's debt has loomed large over the Trump administration's response to the island.

— dan merica, CNN, "Trump seems ready to pull aid from Puerto Rico. He took a different tone with Texas and Florida.," 12 Oct. 2017
Apple, with a spaceship-like campus about to open, looms large over Cupertino in its own way, accounting for something like 40 percent of the jobs in the city, and investing $70 million in local environmental and infrastructure upgrades.

— neil irwin, New York Times, "To Understand Rising Inequality, Consider the Janitors at Two Top Companies, Then and Now," 3 Sep. 2017

Origin and Etymology of large

see ¹large

large Synonyms

Synonyms

expensively, extravagantly, fatly, grandly, high, lavishly, luxuriously, opulently, palatially, plushly, richly, sumptuously

Antonyms

austerely, humbly, modestly, plainly, simply

Related Words

imposingly, impressively, magnificently, splendidly; grandiosely, ostentatiously, pompously, pretentiously; affluently, comfortably, fine, wealthily; immoderately, indulgently, intemperately, prodigally, wantonly, wastefully

Near Antonyms

unpretentiously; cheaply, economically, frugally, inexpensively, meagerly, poorly, skimpily, sparely, sparingly, thriftily; conservatively, moderately, prudently, reasonably, restrainedly, sensibly, temperately

large

noun

Definition of large

1 obsolete : liberality, generosity

2 slang : a thousand dollars

— at large

1 a : free of restraint or confinement

the escaped prisoner is still at large

b : without a specific subject or assignment

critic at large

2 : at length

3 : in a general way

4 : as a whole

society at large

5 : as the political representative of or to a whole area rather than of one of its subdivisions —used in combination with a preceding noun

a congressman-at-large

— in the large

: on a large scale : in general

See large defined for English-language learners

Examples of large in a Sentence

These shirts are all larges.
“What size ice-cream cones do you want?” “We'll take three larges and a small.”

Recent Examples of large from the Web

Gary Werner Werner, 55, of Brunswick, is a former Brunswick mayor, vice mayor, Ward 1 councilman and councilman-at-large.

— ann norman, cleveland.com, "Three candidates vie to replace Medina Municipal Court Judge Dale Chase," 27 Oct. 2017
Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture.

— frank rich, Daily Intelligencer, "Frank Rich: What Jeff Flake Couldn’t Bring Himself to Say About Donald Trump," 25 Oct. 2017
The last Republican to win at-large was Edwin Peacock in 2009, and he was defeated two years later.

— jim morrill, charlotteobserver, "Can Republicans crack at-large race when they’re out-numbered 2-1?," 19 Oct. 2017
The new members-at-large of the Democratic National Committee will vote on party rules and in 2020 will be convention delegates free to vote for a primary candidate of their choice.

— jennifer epstein, Bloomberg.com, "Democrats Plan to Name Lobbyists, Operatives as Superdelegates," 18 Oct. 2017
Irvin served as an alderman-at-large for the city of Aurora from 2007-2017.

— Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora mayor earns honor at NIU," 29 Sep. 2017
The position of Poway mayor will continue to be elected at-large.

— steve dreyer, Pomerado News, "Poway picks map for by-district council elections," 1 Sep. 2017
There are dozens of designer T-shirts, in sizes ranging from large to extra-large, prices starting at $18.

— cristina bolling, charlotteobserver, "A Charlotte shop is selling clothes from Rascal Flatts’ personal wardrobes | Charlotte Observer," 16 Oct. 2017
The Fox Valley Park Board has voted to appoint Theodia Gillespie to replace the resigning Alex Alexandrou as the commissioner-at-large on the board.

— steve lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Former member returning to Fox Valley Park Board," 2 Oct. 2017

Origin and Etymology of large

see ¹large

LARGE Defined for English Language Learners

large

adjective

Definition of large for English Language Learners

: great in size or amount
: not limited in importance, range, etc.

large

noun

Definition of large for English Language Learners

: something that is sold in a large size : something that is bigger than others of the same kind

LARGE Defined for Kids

large

adjective \ ˈlärj \

Definition of large for Students

larger; largest

: more than most others of a similar kind in amount or size : big

a large room

a large city

—

largeness

noun

— at large

1 : not captured or locked up

The bank robbers are still at large.

2 : as a group or a whole

the public at large

3 : representing a whole state or district

a delegate-at-large

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See words that rhyme with large Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for large Spanish Central: Translation of large Nglish: Translation of large for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of large for Arabic speakers

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large

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