big

BIG/bɪɡ/

Adjectivebigger, biggest

Noun pluralbigs

Adverbbigger, biggest

27 meanings of big

Practice

1
largeadjective
Large in size or amount.
Like a mountain standing next to a small hill.
They live in a big house near the park.
The elephant was the biggest animal at the zoo.
UsageWrite bigger and biggest with two g's.
Similarlarge, huge, massive, great, immense
Oppositesmall, little, tiny, miniature
2
importantadjective
Very important, or able to change a lot of things.
Choosing a college is a big decision for most students.
Winning the contract was a big deal for the small company.
UsageOften a big deal (very important) or no big deal (not important).
Similarimportant, crucial, critical, key, significant
Oppositeminor, small, trivial, insignificant
3
adjectivecolloquial
Used before another word to make it sound stronger, often a bad one.
Stop being such a big bully on the playground.
That excuse was a big lie and everyone knew it.
UsageA big fan is a very keen fan; a big mistake is a very bad one.
Similarreal, total, complete, huge
Note
4
popularadjective
Liked by a lot of people right now.
That singer is really big with teenagers at the moment.
Streaming shows are big in almost every household these days.
UsageUsed after the verb: big with teenagers, big in Japan.
Similarpopular, famous, hot, trendy
Oppositeunpopular
Note
5
too powerfuladjectivehumorous
Used for huge industries or fields, often suggesting they have too much power.
People worry that big oil controls what politicians say about climate.
Critics say big tech knows far too much about our private lives.
UsagePut before an industry: Big Tech, Big Oil. It usually sounds critical.
Note
6
adjectivecolloquial
Liking something a lot and excited about it.
My dad is big on a healthy breakfast every morning.
The whole team is big on fair play.
UsageSay big on something. I'm not big on it means I don't like it much.
Similarenthusiastic, eager, keen, avid, ardent
7
top levelnounplural
The top level of a sport or career, like the big leagues.
The young pitcher got called up to the bigs at just twenty.
Every minor-league player dreams of reaching the bigs.
UsageSay the bigs, as in make it to the bigs.
Similarmajors
Oppositeminors
Note
8
adjective
Having a large number of people living in a place.
Like an anthill packed with thousands of busy ants.
New York is a big city with millions of residents.
After the tiny village, the big town felt crowded with strangers.
Similarlarge, populous
Oppositesmall
9
adverb
To a great extent or on a large, ambitious scale.
Our team won big in the final game.
If you save now, it pays off big later.
UsagePut it after the verb, with no -ly: win big, save big.
Similarhugely, massively

Less common meanings

10
grown-upadjectivecolloquial
Older or more grown-up, often said of a child or an older brother or sister.
You're a big girl now, so you can tie your own shoes.
My big brother teaches me how to ride a bike.
UsageBig brother means older brother. You're a big boy now can praise a child or ask him to act older.
Similarolder, elder
Oppositelittle, younger
Note
11
nounrarecountable
An important or powerful person, like a famous star.
All the bigs from Hollywood showed up at the gala.
The music bigs all sat in the front row.
Similarbigwig, heavyweight, star, celebrity
12
adjectivecolloquial
Having a large body, because of weight or strong muscles.
The big man could barely fit in the small chair.
My uncle got big after he stopped playing football.
UsageBig is sometimes used as a gentler way to say fat.
Similarlarge, heavy, hefty, burly, brawny
Oppositesmall, slight, skinny
13
graciousadjectivecolloquial
Kind and fair, willing to do the right thing.
It was big of you to apologize first.
Try to be the bigger person and let the argument go.
UsageOften it was big of you or be the bigger person.
Similargenerous, magnanimous, gracious
Oppositepetty, mean, small
Note
14
keen onadverbcolloquial
Used before words like 'into' or 'on' to mean very keen on something.
She's big into vintage cars these days.
My dad is big into fishing now that he has retired.
UsageSay someone is big into something, like big into fishing.
Similargreatly, hugely, massively
Note
15
adverb
In a way that brags or shows off.
He talks big but rarely backs any of it up.
She talked big about the deal long before it ever closed.
UsageUsually talk big: he talks big but does little.
Similarboastfully
Oppositemodestly
16
nouncountable
A person or thing that is large in size.
On the court, the bigs grab most of the rebounds.
Every good basketball team needs at least one strong big.
Note
17
well endowedadjectivecolloquial
Having a large penis.
He was big, and the tight swim trunks left little to the imagination.
Despite his slim frame, he was surprisingly big where it counted.
Similarwell-endowed, hung
18
large breastsadjectivecolloquial
Having large breasts.
She was big up top, and most blouses never fit her right.
Being big in the chest, she has trouble finding swimsuits that fit.
Similarbusty, buxom, bosomy, chesty, stacked
Oppositeflat-chested
19
loudlyadverb
In a way that is loud and full of sound.
The choir sang big, and the sound filled every corner of the hall.
On the last line, our teacher told us to sing out big.
Similarloud, loudly
Oppositesoftly, quietly
20
hardadverbcolloquial
In a way that hits hard, with a lot of force.
The boxer swung big and dropped his opponent in the first round.
She serves big, and most players can't even return it.
Similarhard, heavily
Oppositegently, lightly
21
pregnantadjectivefiguratively
Carrying young inside, or ready to give birth.
The mare was big with foal and needed extra rest.
She was big with child and due any day now.
UsageUsed as big with child or big with foal.
Similarpregnant, expectant, expecting, gravid, gestating
Note
22
inhabitverbarchaicNorthern EnglandScotlandUKtransitive
To live or settle somewhere.
Note
23
buildverbarchaicNorthern EnglandScotlandUKtransitive
To build or make something.
Note
24
barleynounarchaicNorthern EnglandScotlandUKuncountable
A type of barley grain, especially the six-rowed kind.
Note
25
noun
A member of a college fraternity or sorority who guides and helps a newer member.
26
noun
In ageplay, the partner who takes the older or adult role.
27
verbarchaicNorthern EnglandScotlandUK
To live in a place.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of big apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–21

This word comes from Northern Middle English "big" meaning strong, maybe from a form of Old Norse.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Big comes from Northern Middle English big, meaning strong. en.wiktionary.org
An Old Norse origin is possible. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 22–23

This comes from Old Norse "byggja," meaning to build or to live in a place.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The verb big derives from Old Norse byggja through Middle English. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse byggja means to build or to live in a place. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 24

This comes from Old Norse "bygg," meaning barley.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The barley noun big comes from Old Norse bygg, via Middle English byge. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse bygg means barley. en.wiktionary.org