bigger

bigger — adjective

1. the comparative form of 'big' — used when comparing two people, things, or situa

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

the comparative form of 'big' — used when comparing two people, things, or situations to say that one has more size, amount, importance, or degree than the other; for example, saying that one room is bigger than another, or that one problem is bigger than expected

Example

Eitan's bedroom is bigger than his kitchen, so he put his desk there.

comparative: bigger + than for comparing two things

This year's apple harvest was bigger than last year's, so the farm earned more.

bigger + than comparing amounts across years

Common collocations
  • much bigger
  • a lot bigger
  • far bigger
  • slightly bigger
  • get bigger
  • grow bigger
  • bigger than ever
  • bigger and better
Synonyms
  • larger

    more formal than 'bigger'; preferred in written and technical contexts when comparing physical size

  • greater

    used for abstract qualities such as importance, degree, or amount rather than physical size

Antonyms
  • smaller

    the opposite of 'bigger' when comparing physical size

  • lesser

    the opposite of 'greater'; used for abstract qualities such as importance or degree

Grammar Patterns

bigger + than

the bigger + noun

much/a lot/far + bigger

Usage Note

Bigger is the regular comparative form of the adjective big. Do NOT use 'more big' — that is a common error. The superlative form is 'biggest'.

Common Mistakes

My house is more big than yours.
My house is bigger than yours.
'big' uses the -er suffix for its comparative, not 'more'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe something that exceeds another in a measurable way, but they differ in register and typical contexts. 'Bigger' is the everyday, neutral term for comparing size, amount, or importance: 'The new playground is bigger than the old one.' 'Larger' is slightly more formal and is preferred in written English, especially when comparing physical dimensions or quantities: 'Taiwan has a larger population than New Zealand.' 'Greater' is used almost exclusively for abstract qualities such as importance, degree, or intensity, and rarely for physical size: 'There was no greater challenge than rebuilding after the flood.' In casual conversation, 'bigger' covers all these uses. In academic or professional writing, choose 'larger' for physical size and 'greater' for abstract degree.

bigger ↗largergreater

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • bigger than life
  • bigger and better
  • the bigger picture
  • bigger fish to fry

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Bigger' is formed by adding the Old English comparative suffix '-er' to the adjective 'big', which first appeared in the 13th century with the meaning 'strong, powerful'. The original sense of physical strength gradually broadened to include size and importance. The comparative form 'bigger' has been in continuous use since Middle English.