Big meaning

What does “big” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“big” is an adjective and adverb with 17 meanings. Its most common meaning is: above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent.

big

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
“a large city”
“set out for the big city”
Synonymslarge
Oppositeslittle
significant
“graduation was a big day in his life”
very intense
“a bad headache”
“in a big rage”
Synonymsbad
loud and firm
“a big voice”
“big bold piano sounds”
conspicuous in position or importance
“a big figure in the movement”
“big man on campus”
Synonymslarge prominent
prodigious
“big spender”
“big eater”
Synonymsheavy
exhibiting self-importance
“big talk”
Synonymsboastful braggart bragging braggy cock-a-hoop crowing self-aggrandizing self-aggrandising
feeling self-importance
“too big for his britches”
“had a swelled head”
Synonymsswelled vainglorious
(of animals) fully developed
“an adult animal”
“a grown woman”
Synonymsadult full-grown fully grown grown grownup
marked by intense physical force
“a big wind”
generous and understanding and tolerant
“a heart big enough to hold no grudges”
“that's very big of you to be so forgiving”
Synonymslarge magnanimous
given or giving freely
“was a big tipper”
“the bounteous goodness of God”
Synonymsbighearted bounteous bountiful freehanded handsome giving liberal openhanded
in an advanced stage of pregnancy
“was big with child”
“was great with child”
Synonymsenceinte expectant gravid great large heavy with child

extremely well
“his performance went over big”
in a boastful manner
“he talked big all evening”
Synonymsboastfully vauntingly large
on a grand scale
“think big”
Oppositessmall
in a major way
“the play failed big at the box office”

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University