as in magnitude
the quality or state of being very large
the American taste for giantism: big cars, big houses, big servings of food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 giantism
Brontotheres, the ancient North American ancestors of the horse, is a giantism outlier as—growing from around 40 pounds to four to five tons in 16 million years.
—
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023
In an especially mind-bending passage, Wengrow and Graeber show that the majority of Paleolithic tombs contained not grandees but individuals with physical anomalies including dwarfism, giantism, and spinal abnormalities.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 11 July 2022
The researchers think the parrot evolved this way because of a phenomenon known as autapomorphic giantism, in which a member of an otherwise moderately sized group becomes humongous by taking over an empty ecological niche.
—Cara Giaimo, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019
The extraordinary success of the giant three-ring circus gave rise to other forms of exportable American giantism, such as amusement parks, department stores, and shopping malls.
—Janet M. Davis, Smithsonian, 22 Mar. 2017
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023
In an especially mind-bending passage, Wengrow and Graeber show that the majority of Paleolithic tombs contained not grandees but individuals with physical anomalies including dwarfism, giantism, and spinal abnormalities.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 11 July 2022
The researchers think the parrot evolved this way because of a phenomenon known as autapomorphic giantism, in which a member of an otherwise moderately sized group becomes humongous by taking over an empty ecological niche.
—Cara Giaimo, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019
The extraordinary success of the giant three-ring circus gave rise to other forms of exportable American giantism, such as amusement parks, department stores, and shopping malls.
—Janet M. Davis, Smithsonian, 22 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for giantism
Noun
-
Texas experiences winter cold fronts every year, but what set the February 2021 freeze apart was its magnitude and its duration.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Houston Chronicle,
13 Feb. 2026
-
What is, perhaps, a surprise is seeing a long-term trend, particularly apparent on decadal timescales, that tends towards a brighter (more negative) visual magnitude.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Whatever showy gigantism the Kennedy Center was burdened with at the start, there will almost surely be more of it after he’s done.—
Christopher Robbins,
Curbed,
9 Feb. 2026
-
As the Seahawks hoisted the trophy on the field, amid the gigantism and confetti cannons and surfeit on display, a sense of perspective seemed to have been restored.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The authors that explore the vastness of the heart often serve as our guides.—
Hannah Benson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That alone distinguishes Bienvenu’s take on a futuristic reality from most sci-fi narratives, which often occur in sleek, cold labs, desolate planets, or intricate spaceships floating in the vastness of space.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Like Phish or Taylor Swift or The Dead, 21P have created a universe for their fans that is a self-sustaining mechanism, even if the hugeness of it doesn’t always translate into huge chart success.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Hawley, who directed the premiere, brings an impressive sense of scale to the action, conveying the hugeness of the spaceship and its urban crash zone, contrasted with the smallness of the figures trying to make their way through the mayhem.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The historic crisis makes the personal tale reverberate with an inner immensity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The immensity of Catherine and Heathcliff’s passion is measured by the intensity of their language, which of course is also Brontë’s.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Giantism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/giantism. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
