tremendous

adjective

tri-ˈmen-dəs How to pronounce tremendous (audio)
Definition of tremendousnext
as in huge
unusually large that's a tremendous amount of work for one person

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tremendous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of tremendous are monstrous, prodigious, and stupendous. While all these words mean "extremely impressive," tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

When might monstrous be a better fit than tremendous?

In some situations, the words monstrous and tremendous are roughly equivalent. However, monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.

the monstrous waste of the project

When is it sensible to use prodigious instead of tremendous?

The synonyms prodigious and tremendous are sometimes interchangeable, but prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

When is stupendous a more appropriate choice than tremendous?

Although the words stupendous and tremendous have much in common, stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

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 tremendous Garland brings tremendous formal acumen and, perhaps by dint of his Britishness, a preternatural aversion to American jingoism; Mendoza leans on his own arduous experience of the 2006 Ramadi evacuation. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025 But the reality is, there is a tremendous difference. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 Bill Burr, which is the most recent one, has garnered a tremendous reaction, both in terms of people really enjoying it and watching a lot of it. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025 Frank is a business leader, with a tremendous track record of transforming large corporations. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tremendous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tremendous
  1. huge
  2. enormous
  3. vast
  4. gigantic
  5. massive
  6. immense
  7. giant
  8. colossal
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of huge
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • May is the first month where the adjustments are seeing massive swings.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 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
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of immense
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

Browse Nearby Words

trembly
tremendous
tremendously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on tremendous

Nglish: Translation of tremendous 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

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
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
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All