big
60
2.7
- adjective
- /bɪg/
- Isabella, however, clung to her father, her impossibly big brown eyes even impossibly bigger.
Examples
-
"Just not being afraid of technology has been a big help," she says. -- Allen Pusey
Academic text (2011) -
At the least, she would have made a big pot roast and brought it over.
Fiction book (1990) -
"I know he was a good man with a big heart, and I loved him."
Fiction book (1990) -
He said God gave me such a big soul and so little talent.
-
You're such a big, bouncy, beautiful baby.
-
He's a big sweetie.
-
The ability to hunt in oxygen-deprived waters gives squid a big advantage over most large predatory fish.
Academic text (2007) -
Erica Hill described him as a big man with a warm and generous spirit.
-
The charity event was a wonderful success, showcasing the big hearts of everyone involved.
-
She always had a big capacity to forgive, no matter the mistakes made by her friends.
Synonyms
52
1.3
An amount larger than usual or needed
33
1.7
Willing to share money, time, or help with others
19
4.9
Having a lot of something, especially food or things grown in a garden
15
8.0
Being kind and generous when forgiving people who hurt you
15
3.9
Giving a lot of something like money or praise
3
7.3
Giving a large amount freely, like food or money
2
2.5
Very generous and kind in giving or forgiving others
1
4.3
A person who is generous, kind, and understanding toward others
1
2.6
Being kind and generous and willing to help others
1
5.2
A person who gives money, time, or help freely to others
1
6.0
Willing to accept other people's ideas and be kind to them
1
4.1
Showing kindness and generosity by helping or forgiving others
1
6.1
Giving money or help freely without holding back
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
16
3.4
A group of people who are close and friendly like a loving home
- Informal
6
8.1
To ask why someone is doing something when you are annoyed or surprised
- Informal
2
5.5
An important person in a small group who has more power than elsewhere
Compounds
- Informal
131
4.1
A very successful level in entertainment or sport where people become famous
- Literature
34
3.2
Large companies in the oil industry that have much money and political power
- Specialized
29
3.7
Large sets of information that people analyze with computers to find patterns
27
3.0
A large group of musicians that plays jazz or dance music with instruments like trumpets and saxophones
- Informal
10
7.9
A very large earthquake that causes great damage, often expected in California
- Jargon
8
6.3
A large electronic screen at the New York Stock Exchange that shows stock prices and activity
- Literature
7
4.8
A powerful government or company that watches people and their private information
- Specialized
6
4.1
An idea that the universe began when a hot, very dense point expanded quickly
- Literature
3
3.2
Large technology companies that dominate the internet, online services, and social media
- Specialized
3
5.2
Large scientific projects that need a lot of money and many people to make big discoveries
How Generous
Surface Forms
Etymology
Big kept its basic sense of 'large' and was used for a 'large heart', as in big-hearted, to show generosity. That's why when someone is big in this way, they are giving or forgiving.