gigantic

adjective

gi·​gan·​tic jī-ˈgan-tik How to pronounce gigantic (audio)
jə-
Synonyms of gigantic
: exceeding the usual or expected (as in size, force, or prominence)
gigantically
jī-ˈgan-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce gigantic (audio)
jə-
adverb

Synonyms of gigantic

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enormous, immense, huge, vast, gigantic, colossal, mammoth mean exceedingly large.

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

huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Examples of gigantic in a Sentence

a raccoon got into the trash and now there's a gigantic mess in our backyard
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The endless days are punctuated by the appearance of gigantic thunderheads that, many afternoons, seem to boil up into the sky. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Giant tunnels are built to control water flow Rescue efforts were focused on people trapped in the gigantic tunnels built for controlling the flow of water. — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Rescue efforts are focused on people trapped in the gigantic tunnels built for controlling the waterflow to produce hydropower, across multiple sites. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 First of all, with its WFI, it's meant to process a tremendous amount of data in relatively short periods of time in order to survey gigantic zones of our cosmos. — Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gigantic

Word History

Etymology

Greek gigantikos, from gigant-, gigas giant

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gigantic was in 1630

Rhymes for gigantic

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Browse Nearby Words

gigantesque
gigantic
gigantical
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Cite this Entry

“Gigantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gigantic. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gigantic

adjective
gi·​gan·​tic jī-ˈgant-ik How to pronounce gigantic (audio)
: being beyond the ordinary or expected (as in size, weight, or strength)
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