great 1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrāt How to pronounce great (audio)
Definition of greatnext
1
as in excellent
of the very best kind this cake is great!

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2
as in skillful
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor one of the great anthropologists

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3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature a great humanitarian great acts of charity

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4
as in long
lasting for a considerable time haven't seen them in a great while

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5
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind saw a great moose calmly walking through our backyard

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6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest she's great on any type of sport that requires endurance

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7
as in greatest
coming before all others in importance regards global warming as the great issue of the day

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8
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station a descendant of one of the great families of Philadelphia

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great

2 of 2

adverb

as in nicely
in a pleasing way the game was going great for the home team

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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 great
Adjective
In the center of town, check out Inquiring Minds Bookstore for used and new books with a great kids’ section or Enoki for an eclectic mix of Asian pantry items and vintage clothing. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026 Before the bridge was built, there were crossing options — none of them great. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Because the phone had no active primary line, calls had to be placed through WhatsApp, but texting worked great and the cellular data actually felt faster than my standard home carrier. — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 With its outdoor-friendly build, rich bass, and already more affordable price for a great-sounding speaker, this deal needs to be on your invitation list. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for great
Recent Examples of Synonyms for great
  1. excellent
  2. skillful
  3. noble
  4. long
  5. large
  6. excited
  7. main
  8. aristocratic
Adjective
  • Alas, this excellent advice goes into one of Joe’s ears and out the other.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Owls are predators whose eyes are positioned on the front of their heads, giving them excellent depth perception.
    — Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Making robots skillful The second stage introduces a latent diffusion model, which gives BeyondMimic its ability to generate and combine movements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Fortunately, her protégées—her grandnieces and other female students in the village—are skillful artists in their own right.
    — Marisol Delarosa, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of skillful
Adjective
  • At least that bad-optics outburst, while insubordinate, had something noble at its basis.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Villa Celimontana dates to the 16th century, when it was developed as a noble residence on Caelian Hill, one of the seven hills of ancient Rome.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • The San Francisco 49ers got creative in managing some tough cuts Sunday afternoon to get down to a 53-man roster, letting go of their punter and long snapper.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Medicare does not cover custodial care, and custodial care is the bulk of what a long stay involves.
    — Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • To study dark energy, Roman will measure how gravity bends light across large cosmic distances — creating a 3D map of dark matter in the process.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In 2022, Cuban founded Cost Plus Drugs, a website created to sell generic medication at a lower price than most large pharmacies.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • On the opposite sideline, Trimble Tech Head Coach MK Hamilton entered the season with a more experienced roster and was excited about the leadership his veteran players bring.
    — Riley Ledesma, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Atlanta native is excited to carry his dreams and the family name forward.
    — PJ Green August 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • The fourth-year pro with blazing speed had an impressive training camp and appeared to be one of the team’s main kick returners.
    — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Its main instrument, known as the Wide Field Instrument (WFI), will take extremely wide images of the universe, capturing ultra-high definition views across broad swaths of the sky.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Here’s one book written by this aristocratic Thai woman almost 80 years ago.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In it, a twelve-year-old boy, Cosimo, rebels against his aristocratic family, and the Enlightenment’s false divide between nature and culture, by climbing a holm oak and spending his life in the canopy.
    — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of aristocratic

Phrases Containing great

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greasy spoons
great
greatcoat
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Cite this Entry

“Great.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/great. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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