huge

adjective

ˈhyüj How to pronounce huge (audio)
Definition of hugenext
as in enormous
unusually large the old stadium was replaced by a huge new one that seats 100,000 spectators

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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a huge success
a major success
an enormous success
a tremendous success
an overwhelming success
a complete success
a huge difference
a big difference
a massive difference
an enormous difference
a considerable difference
a vast difference
a huge crowd
a massive crowd
a big crowd
a giant crowd
a large crowd
a humongous crowd
a huge mistake
a big mistake
a massive mistake
a major mistake
a terrible mistake
a horrible mistake
huge losses
sizable losses
heavy losses

Synonym Chooser

How is the word huge distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of huge are colossal, enormous, gigantic, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would colossal be a good substitute for huge?

The words colossal and huge can be used in similar contexts, but colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How do enormous and immense relate to one another, in the sense of huge?

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 is gigantic a more appropriate choice than huge?

The synonyms gigantic and huge are sometimes interchangeable, but gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When can mammoth be used instead of huge?

The meanings of mammoth and huge largely overlap; however, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Where would vast be a reasonable alternative to huge?

In some situations, the words vast and huge are roughly equivalent. However, 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 huge There has been tremendous Democratic energy and anger in recent weeks, with progressives disrupting Republican lawmakers’ town hall meetings and holding huge rallies. —W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025 That’s realistically the only addition that would make a huge splash at the position. —Manny Navarro, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 More: Top Armed Services Republican and Democrat call for independent probe of Hegseth and Signal leak The retired lieutenant colonel said Hegseth appeared to have added real time updates from a secure Defense Department messaging system – a huge breach of security. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025 Last year saw a huge uptick in tornadoes later in the spring and activity continued through December, with nearly 2,000 tornado reports in total. —Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for huge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for huge
  1. enormous
  2. gigantic
  3. tremendous
  4. vast
  5. massive
  6. giant
  7. colossal
  8. immense
Adjective
  • Even with Hollywood’s diminished state in China, the film business is one sector where the U.S. maintains a sizable trade surplus with its geopolitical rival, as Chinese films, despite their enormous earnings in the home market, have made little headway with mainstream North American moviegoers.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The enormous brown shape offered a perfect broadside target.
    — Jeffrey A. Brunk, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of enormous
Adjective
  • The bathroom could be closed off with sleek pivoting panels and came—like all suites—with a gigantic shower and round bath the size of a Jacuzzi tub.
    — Chris Schaklx, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The polar vortex is a gigantic, circular area of cold air high up in the atmosphere that typically spins over the North Pole (as its name suggests).
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of gigantic
Adjective
  • Head coach Geno Auriemma earned his 12th NCAA women's basketball championship Sunday, after an 82-58 rout over No. 1 seed South Carolina, a tremendous feat for his legendary career – the most of any men's or women's program in NCAA history.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Most teams have a tremendous amount at stake in the final week of the season.
    — Nick Crain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of tremendous
Adjective
  • Special content, tips, and tricks: Free digital access to the vast recipe archives of Bon Appétit and Epicurious, plus an in-depth video filmed in the test kitchen of one recipe from each box.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The vast majority of Slate employees join Apex, as do the 500-plus partner clients.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of vast
Adjective
  • Stevens, 86, suffered a massive stroke in 2016 and is currently in assisted living, according to her daughter, actress Joely Fisher.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
  • There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.
    — The Dial, The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of massive
Adjective
  • Born in Okayama, Japan, Hattori began his racing career on the open-wheel circuits of his home country before taking a giant leap across the Pacific to chase his dreams in America.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Dire wolves mostly ate horses and bison, with occasional forays into giant sloths and baby mammoths.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of giant
Adjective
  • Tribe also added a fan zone to its band, allowing revelers to cool down under colossal fans, and a beer bus serving draft beer and plenty of laughs.
    — Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • One of the biggest moves came just this week, when Trump imposed a colossal set of new tariffs on America’s trading partners.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of colossal
Adjective
  • The victim’s representatives, likely with assistance from cybersecurity firms, pushed back against demands, arguing that the organization had already suffered immense financial losses and could not afford a ransom payment.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The dollar’s reserve status provides immense benefits to the United States, including lower interest rates on government debt and the power to impose hard-hitting sanctions.
    — Edward Fishman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of immense

Browse Nearby Words

hug
huge
hugely
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Cite this Entry

“Huge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/huge. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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