colossal

adjective

kə-ˈlä-səl How to pronounce colossal (audio)
Definition of colossalnext
as in gigantic
unusually large a colossal statue of the town's founder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word colossal distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of colossal are enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How are the words enormous and immense related as synonyms of colossal?

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

When could gigantic be used to replace colossal?

In some situations, the words gigantic and colossal are roughly equivalent. However, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When can huge be used instead of colossal?

Although the words huge and colossal have much in common, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would mammoth be a good substitute for colossal?

While in some cases nearly identical to colossal, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

When is vast a more appropriate choice than colossal?

The words vast and colossal can be used in similar contexts, but vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

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 colossal An international team of scientists have captured the first-ever footage of the colossal squid—the world's largest invertebrate—live in its natural environment. —Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025 The colossal squid has been known to science since 1925, when researchers described the first specimen based on two tentacles found inside a whale’s stomach. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Researchers in March captured the first footage of a colossal squid in its natural habitat, thousands of feet under the sea off the South Sandwich Islands. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2025 Bolstad clarified that the colossal squid is not the same as the giant squid. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for colossal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colossal
  1. gigantic
  2. huge
  3. enormous
  4. giant
  5. vast
  6. massive
  7. tremendous
  8. mammoth
Adjective
  • The Bucks predictably got a massive game from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 36 points to go with 12 rebounds, but the absence of their point guard, Lillard, was a gigantic blow.
    — Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • But seeing the slow nature of gigantic bureaucratic machines such as these, this is not enough to move beyond policy to practice.
    — Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of gigantic
Adjective
  • Scammers convince you to take cash to a bitcoin ATM Her story highlights one huge red flag that consumers must watch out for these days — how scammers are convincing you to take cash to a crypto ATM at the local party store, gas station or grocery.
    — Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • When Sheinbaum was six years old, the military, on the President’s orders, attacked a huge student protest in the Three Cultures square in Mexico City.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of huge
Adjective
  • The Jaguars kicked off the night with a bang, executing an enormous trade to move up for Hunter.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Dozens of David Bowie Albums Have Cracked the Top 10 Throughout his unparalleled career, Bowie racked up an enormous number of top 10s on the Official Physical Albums chart.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of enormous
Adjective
  • Volunteers stirred giant pots of steaming lentils one recent afternoon as people formed a line to receive their portions.
    — Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Center a retaining wall around a tree Think of it as a giant tree planter.
    — Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of giant
Adjective
  • The vast majority of people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide – 70% have no further attempts.
    — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • New satellite imagery shows Iran reinforcing a vast underground complex near the country's main uranium enrichment site, according to an analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of vast
Adjective
  • In Season 1, Cassian was part of a massive prison break and an insurrection against Imperial forces in his home of Ferrix.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Losing 15% of a paycheck or a lump-sum tax refund can be a massive setback for a family living paycheck to paycheck.
    — Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of massive
Adjective
  • Saints received a tremendous pop from the crowd to begin the Stand & Deliver card.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • So-so athlete, but a tremendous leader who was voted captain by his team each of the last two seasons.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of tremendous
Adjective
  • Over the span of a mammoth, 52-song setlist, the musicians and TDE labelmates traded the stage back and forth and debuted tracks from their newest releases—2024’s GNX and SOS Deluxe: Lana.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 20 Apr. 2025
  • But suffice to say, Snoop gets a dire diagnosis, transports to a battleground set amid giant marijuana plants, gets cozy with a mammoth marijuana bud, dies and visits Tupac, Petty pops in throughout, and Jelly Roll appears in a prison yard, among other wild occurrences.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of mammoth

Browse Nearby Words

colorways
colossal
colossally
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Colossal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colossal. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on colossal

Nglish: Translation of colossal for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All