1
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind
bought a big apple to quench his raging appetite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
there will be a big meeting to resolve the issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in great
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
how big of you to give your subordinates most of the credit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor)
inexperienced wine drinkers should not start with such a big wine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the big story that year was the election of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in fashionable
enjoying widespread favor or approval
jackets with very wide lapels were big that year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body
a mare big with a foal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in heavy
one of high position or importance within a group
with that new promotion he's now one of the bigs in the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in major league
usually bigs plural
the highest level of a field of endeavor
a candidate who is running for president is playing in the bigs and cannot afford to make major mistakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 big
Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Today, American players are starring for some of Europe's biggest clubs, competing in the Champions League and exploring opportunities that would have been unimaginable during Donovan's playing days.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Toronto was shorthanded in the frontcourt without starting center Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder), and the Sparks trio of bigs had a field day with 54 points in the paint.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Adjective
Morris, a 24-year-old Turlock native, gave up at least one run in four separate frames Saturday, but the biggest damage was dealt by a second-inning grand slam off the bat of MVP contender Yordan Alvarez.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Today, American players are starring for some of Europe's biggest clubs, competing in the Champions League and exploring opportunities that would have been unimaginable during Donovan's playing days.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Noun
To maximize his strengths, the Thunder have surrounded Gilgeous-Alexander with strong outside shooting and pick-and-roll bigs.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Toronto was shorthanded in the frontcourt without starting center Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder), and the Sparks trio of bigs had a field day with 54 points in the paint.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for big
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big
Adjective
-
In Geneva, Switzerland’s second-largest city and a hub of United Nations institutions and humanitarian groups, early results showed about two-thirds of voters in the region opposed the measure.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Spain faces Cape Verde in its first match of the tournament on Monday, in a game it is expected to win by a large margin.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Sacramento Bee covered a wide range of news on June 11, from a critical city audit to a major land return for a Northern California tribe.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Tribeca was launched in an effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, but has since grown into a major celebration of the arts and media.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Roberto Duran, the Central American nation’s most famous son, is one of the greatest boxers in history.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
The Lincoln home site provides another dimension to the study of the man often cited as the nation’s greatest president.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The discovery is so surprising because even though AGNs are rich with gas and dust — the building blocks of planets — the turbulent conditions within the disks wouldn't generally be considered ideal for forming planets.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
-
Gardena and salted amber give this shimmery body mist a rich, tropical vacation sort of scent profile.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Patrick was addressing attendees of the Republican Party of Texas’ state convention in Houston from the event’s main stage.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
-
Reuters — Hungary’s main opposition Fidesz party re-elected former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as its leader on Saturday for another year despite the party’s loss of power in an April 12 election to the center-right Tisza party.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Chanel hosted a fashionable crowd Monday night in New York for its 19th annual Tribeca Festival artists dinner with plenty of reasons to raise a glass.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
-
This lightweight hat will protect you from UV rays while making a chic, fashionable statement.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Brianna, who was 9 months pregnant at the time of the incident, gave birth four days before her arraignment, her attorney said, ClickonDetroit reported.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
Bardem plays the sociopathic ex-convict, Max Cady, recently released after a 17-year stint for killing his pregnant wife.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The morning meal is becoming the most protein-heavy of the day in many homes, a notable change from the carb-forward cereals and pastries that once defined the American breakfast table.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
-
Even the tech-heavy Nasdaq made it into positive territory.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
