immense
adjective
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Just how big is something if it is immense? Huge? Colossal? Humongous? Ginormous? Or merely enormous? Immense is often used as a synonym of all of the above and, as such, can simply function as yet another way for English speakers to say "really, really, really big." Immense is also used, however, in a sense which goes beyond merely really, really, really big to describe something that is so great in size or degree that it transcends ordinary means of measurement. This sense harks back to the original sense of immense for something which is so tremendously big that it has not been or cannot be measured. This sense reflects the word's roots in the Latin immensus, from in- ("un-") and mensus, the past participle of metiri ("to measure").
Synonyms
- astronomical
- astronomic
- Brobdingnagian
- bumper
- colossal
- cosmic
- cosmical
- cyclopean
- elephantine
- enormous
- galactic
- gargantuan
- giant
- gigantesque
- gigantic
- grand
- herculean
- heroic
- heroical
- Himalayan
- huge
- humongous
- humungous
- jumbo
- king-size
- king-sized
- leviathan
- mammoth
- massive
- mega
- mighty
- monster
- monstrous
- monumental
- mountainous
- oceanic
- pharaonic
- planetary
- prodigious
- super
- super-duper
- supersize
- supersized
- titanic
- tremendous
- vast
- vasty
- walloping
- whacking
- whopping
Example Sentences
Yong Xiong, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 To understand Dixon’s day and his prowess as a driver under immense pressure, look no further than his teammate Marcus Ericsson. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2022 Economists at Yale University argued in a recent paper that sanctions are inflicting immense pain. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 Economists at Yale University argued in a recent paper that sanctions are inflicting immense pain. Anchorage Daily News, 23 Aug. 2022 Attorney General Merrick Garland took the rare step of addressing the search, but only after three days of silence and immense political pressure to do so. Andrew Restuccia, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 As the United States attempts to broker peace with Russia during its ongoing lethal conflict with Ukraine, the government has also made some attempts to barter for Griner’s freedom (after immense public pressure). Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 5 Aug. 2022 McKayn noted as a fan of Tolkien the team felt immense pressure to deliver. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 July 2022 The intense heat waves Roebber predicts would put immense pressure on Wisconsin’s power infrastructure. Nicole Haase, Journal Sentinel, 21 July 2022 See More Word History
Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin immensus immeasurable, from in- + mensus, past participle of metiri to measure — more at measure
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
immense
adjective
immense
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- enormous
- tremendous
- vast
- huge
- gigantic
- massive
- colossal
- giant
- mammoth
- monumental
- astronomical
- titanic
- monstrous
- bumper
- sizable
- mountainous
- big
- mighty
- great
- astronomic
- considerable
- monster
- prodigious
- gargantuan
- humongous
- oceanic
- cosmic
- herculean
- grand
- mega
- substantial
- super
- heroic
- whopping
- elephantine
- planetary
- oversize
- humungous
- galactic
- leviathan
- staggering
- formidable
- extensive
- vasty
- majestic
- cyclopean
- walloping
- gigantesque
- heroical
- jumbo
- whacking
- good
- pharaonic
- cosmical
- oversized
- major
- infinite
- supersized
- overwhelming
- handsome
- imposing
- Brobdingnagian
- voluminous
- outsize
- supersize
- stupendous
- king-sized
- hefty
- gross
- super-duper
- Himalayan
- immeasurable
- hulking
- king-size
- goodly
- sizeable
- tidy
- bulky
- outsized
- largish
- grandiose
- overgrown
- boundless
- lofty
- cavernous
- august
- towering
- monolithic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minuscule
- tiny
- infinitesimal
- diminutive
- microscopic
- small
- microscopical
- miniature
- little bitty
- pocket
- micro
- little
- puny
- teeny
- bitty
- teensy
- wee
- pygmy
- minute
- smallish
- midget
- bantam
- petite
- undersized
- mini
- microminiature
- undersize
- teeny-weeny
- teensy-weensy
- Lilliputian
- dinky
- dwarfish
- pint-sized
- pint-size
- half-pint
Synonyms & Similar Words
- great
- excellent
- wonderful
- terrific
- superb
- awesome
- fantastic
- beautiful
- marvelous
- lovely
- fabulous
- stellar
- prime
- marvellous
- fine
- quality
- splendid
- heavenly
- hot
- famous
- unsurpassed
- exceptional
- divine
- superlative
- superior
- neat
- grand
- capital
- sensational
- swell
- classic
- cool
- sterling
- too much
- top
- supernal
- cracking
- brave
- good
- dynamite
- choice
- prize
- slick
- noble
- keen
- hype
- mean
- nifty
- topping
- frontline
- fab
- number one
- banner
- fantabulous
- radical
- gone
- par excellence
- adequate
- decent
- special
- boffo
- primo
- brag
- crackerjack
- corking
- peachy
- groovy
- better
- prizewinning
- gangbusters
- dandy
- bumper
- topflight
- top-notch
- righteous
- dope
- down
- first-rate
- first-class
- gangbuster
- boss
- phat
- high-class
- bonny
- bully
- satisfactory
- peachy keen
- numero uno
- out of this world
- all right
- gilt-edged
- wizard
- tip-top
- blue-chip
- bang-up
- acceptable
- gilt-edge
- top-shelf
- top-of-the-line
- tolerable
- first-string
- five-star
- premium
- out-of-sight
- jim-dandy
- classical
- blue-ribbon
- traditional
- A-OK
- No. 1
- four-star
- bonnie
- fancy
- A1
- passable
- standard
- superfine
- select
- okay
- high-grade
- OK
- high-test
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- terrible
- awful
- poor
- pathetic
- atrocious
- wretched
- vile
- rotten
- lousy
- execrable
- unsatisfactory
- bad
- inferior
- substandard
- middling
- mediocre
- low-grade
- second-rate
- second-class
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of immense are colossal, enormous, gigantic, huge, mammoth, and vast. While all these words 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.
Although the words colossal and immense have much in common, colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.
While in some cases nearly identical to immense, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.
While the synonyms huge and immense are close in meaning, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.
The words mammoth and immense can be used in similar contexts, but mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.
The words vast and immense are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vast usually suggests immensity of extent.