great
great — adjective
1. much bigger in size, amount, or physical extent than what is normal or typical f
much bigger in size, amount, or physical extent than what is normal or typical for something of its kind.
A great crowd of people gathered in the square to hear the results of the election.
a great + collective noun for a large gathering
The storm caused a great deal of damage to houses along the coast last night.
a great deal of + uncountable noun
The Watanabe family has great hopes for their eldest daughter's future.
There was a great difference between what the manager promised and what he actually delivered.
The great hall of the palace could seat more than a thousand dinner guests at once.
- a great deal of
- a great number of
- a great many
- great size
- great length
- great depth
- big
more common in everyday speech for physical size; less formal than 'great'
- large
neutral in register; preferred in measurements and statistics
- huge
stronger than 'great' in expressing surprising size; more informal
- enormous
much stronger than 'great'; suggests something is surprisingly or shockingly large
Grammar Patterns
great + noun
a great + noun
a great deal of + uncountable noun
Usage Note
This sense is the broadest and most general use of 'great'. It applies to physical size (a great hall), countable quantities (a great crowd), and uncountable amounts (a great deal of damage). Distinguish from SENSE 2 (EXTREME DEGREE), which is limited to abstract qualities like care, importance, or concern.
Common Mistakes
2. used before abstract nouns to describe a very high level of a feeling, quality,
used before abstract nouns to describe a very high level of a feeling, quality, or state — such as care, importance, pride, or concern.
The nurse showed great care when treating the frightened child in the emergency room.
great + abstract noun: care, importance, concern, pride
Hassan took great pride in his vegetable garden, which won first place at the county fair.
The discovery of the new treatment is of great importance to the future of medical science.
Aylin listened with great attention while the guest speaker described her travels through South America.
The safety of the children was a matter of great concern to everyone in the community.
- great care
- great importance
- great concern
- great pride
- great detail
- great interest
- great difficulty
- immense
stronger than 'great'; more formal in tone
- tremendous
informal and emphatic; common in spoken English
- enormous
similar strength to 'tremendous'; slightly more formal
- profound
limited to intellectual or emotional depth; more formal than 'great'
Grammar Patterns
great + abstract noun (care, importance, concern, pride, detail)
Usage Note
Unlike SENSE 1 (LARGE IN AMOUNT), this sense only combines with abstract, non-physical nouns. You cannot say 'great care' to mean 'large in size.' The nouns that follow are nearly always uncountable: care, importance, concern, pride, detail, accuracy, pleasure, difficulty, interest.
Common Mistakes
3. of a very high quality, standard, or ability — causing a feeling of admiration,
of a very high quality, standard, or ability — causing a feeling of admiration, satisfaction, or pleasure.
You got the job? That's great news! I knew you would succeed.
exclamation: 'That's great!' for positive reaction
The film we watched last night was really great — Linh wants to see it again this weekend.
Nora is a great cook; her homemade pasta with fresh basil is the best I have ever tasted.
The hotel offered great service and a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean from every room.
The children thought it was a great idea to plant vegetables in the school garden this spring.
- great news
- great idea
- great job
- great time
- great fun
- great cook
- great service
Grammar Patterns
great + noun
be great
That's great!
Great!
Usage Note
Also used as a casual exclamation: 'Great!' can express genuine satisfaction. However, with sarcastic intonation, 'Oh, great!' means the opposite — that something annoying or disappointing has happened. This ironic use is very common in spoken English.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'This is a great problem.' (meaning 'This is a very good problem') — 'Great' meaning 'excellent' with 'problem' is confusing because 'great problem' usually means 'big problem'. Use 'wonderful opportunity' or 'great chance' instead.
4. having a very high level of influence, fame, or historical significance in a par
having a very high level of influence, fame, or historical significance in a particular field or period.
Marie Curie is remembered as one of the greatest scientists of the modern era.
the great + field-specific noun: scientist, leader, writer
The museum has a special exhibition about the great civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Baraka dreamed of becoming a great writer whose stories would inspire people around the world.
One of the greatest challenges facing the city government is the shortage of affordable housing.
The great works of Renaissance art still attract millions of visitors to Florence every year.
- great leader
- great scientist
- great writer
- great work
- great civilization
- great achievement
- great challenge
- eminent
more formal; suggests respect from peers in a particular field
- distinguished
focuses on long-term achievement and recognition
- illustrious
very formal; suggests a glorious and impressive career
- insignificant
opposite in terms of influence or importance
- minor
opposite in terms of scale or status
Grammar Patterns
great + noun (leader, work, achievement, challenge)
Usage Note
This sense overlaps with SENSE 3 (EXCELLENT) when applied to people — a 'great scientist' is both highly skilled and historically important. The key difference: SENSE 4 adds the dimension of fame or historical weight, not just quality. When describing a living person, 'great' in this sense is usually reserved for people of established influence.
Common Mistakes
5. used informally before another adjective of size to make the description stronge
used informally before another adjective of size to make the description stronger and more vivid, without adding precise meaning.
The family lived in a great big house at the top of the hill with a red front door.
pattern: great + big + noun
A great long line of cars was waiting at the entrance to the theme park before opening time.
The children found a great huge mushroom growing under the old oak tree in the forest.
Ramón gave a great loud cheer when his favourite team scored the winning goal in the final minute.
Grandmother kept a great thick book of fairy tales on the shelf beside her favourite armchair.
- great big
- great long
- great huge
- great thick
- great tall
- great wide
Grammar Patterns
great + (big/long/huge/thick/tall) + noun
Usage Note
In this construction, 'great' does not add factual information — its role is emotional and rhetorical, making the description more colourful. It almost always pairs with an existing size adjective (big, long, huge, thick, tall, wide). It cannot be used with non-size adjectives (*a great beautiful house is unnatural).
Common Mistakes
6. having a very strong interest in something or doing something with noticeable en
having a very strong interest in something or doing something with noticeable energy and enjoyment.
Rania is a great fan of jazz music and goes to live concerts at least twice a month.
pattern: great + fan/lover/believer + of
Vivek was a great reader as a child and finished two library books every single week.
Élise is a great believer in morning exercise and runs three kilometres before breakfast every day.
The Hassan children are great lovers of animals and visit the city farm every Saturday afternoon.
Emre was a great walker who knew every trail and shortcut in the national park near his home.
- great fan
- great lover
- great believer
- great reader
- great walker
- great supporter
- keen
more common in British English; 'a keen football fan'
- avid
slightly more formal; suggests deep commitment ('an avid reader')
- passionate
stronger emotional tone than 'great'; 'a passionate believer in'
- reluctant
opposite in terms of willingness or enthusiasm
- indifferent
suggests lack of interest
Grammar Patterns
great + noun + of (fan of, lover of, believer in)
Usage Note
This sense appears in the fixed pattern 'great + role noun + of/at (+ activity)'. The role nouns are limited to about a dozen common ones: fan, lover, believer, supporter, reader, walker, talker, thinker, believer, admirer. It always carries a tone of enthusiasm, not just skill.
Common Mistakes
7. showing a generous, kind, or morally admirable quality of character, especially
showing a generous, kind, or morally admirable quality of character, especially in a difficult situation that calls for courage or self-sacrifice.
Anna was a woman of great heart who always helped neighbours in trouble.
formal/literary register; noun of character: heart, soul, spirit, kindness
The old king was remembered for his great soul and generous, forgiving nature.
The general showed great mercy to the defeated army by letting the soldiers go home.
The principal praised the great spirit of the students who volunteered overseas.
The volunteers' great kindness towards the refugees moved everyone who heard their story.
- great heart
- great soul
- great spirit
- great courage
- great mercy
- great kindness
- great generosity
- noble
direct synonym; emphasises moral superiority and honour
- admirable
focuses on the quality being worthy of respect
- magnanimous
very formal; specifically means generous in forgiving
Grammar Patterns
great + noun of character (heart, soul, spirit, kindness, mercy, courage)
Usage Note
This sense is formal and appears mostly in literary or ceremonial contexts. The nouns it modifies are restricted to abstract character qualities (heart, soul, spirit, courage, mercy, kindness, generosity). In modern everyday speech, this sense of 'great' sounds old-fashioned or poetic. Contrast with SENSE 2 (EXTREME DEGREE), which combines with a wider range of abstract nouns in ordinary contexts.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'He showed great heart by eating all his dinner.' — Using 'great heart' for a trivial action sounds unnatural and comical. Reserve 'great + character noun' for genuinely serious or admirable actions.
8. added after the name of a ruler or historical leader to indicate that they are c
added after the name of a ruler or historical leader to indicate that they are considered the most significant or powerful person of that name in history.
Alexander the Great built one of the largest empires in the ancient world.
title 'the Great' after a ruler's name
Catherine the Great's reign is often called the golden age of Russia.
Students read about Alfred the Great and his efforts to promote education in England.
Historians still debate whether Ramesses the Great deserved his magnificent reputation.
Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 and turned Russia into a major European power.
pattern: Peter the Great (ruler's name + 'the Great' as epithet)
- Alexander the Great
- Catherine the Great
- Peter the Great
- Alfred the Great
- Ramesses the Great
Grammar Patterns
[Name] the Great
Usage Note
This is not a productive adjective pattern — you cannot invent new uses (e.g., *Einstein the Great would sound odd). 'The Great' is a fixed historical epithet attached to certain rulers by tradition. The article 'the' is always required, and the phrase follows the name as a title.
Common Mistakes
be going great guns
idiomTo make very fast progress and achieve good results.
The new project is going great guns under Maya's leadership.
Are your sales going great guns this quarter?
To be better or more effective when combined than each part alone.
Our team is greater than the sum of its parts.
This orchestra is more than the sum of its parts.
To do something very often or to really like doing it.
Sara is a great one for telling funny stories.
You're a great one for quizzes, aren't you?
be no great shakes
idiomTo not be very good, impressive, or skillful.
The movie was no great shakes, but we enjoyed it.
Diego is no great shakes at cooking, but he tries.
A large amount or quantity of something.
She spent a great deal of time on the report.
We learned a good deal from the workshop.
People who are very important, successful, and respected.
The ceremony was attended by the great and the good.
The great and the good gathered for the charity event.
great and small
idiomIncluding all sizes or types; every kind.
All creatures great and small deserve care.
The festival welcomed artists great and small.
A humorous way to refer to the place where someone or something goes after it ends or dies.
Our old car has gone to the great garage in the sky.
The hamster went to the great wheel in the sky.
Used to say that two people have the same idea, implying they are both clever.
You chose the same gift? Great minds think alike!
Great minds think alike, we both picked the same book.
Something big and successful can start from something very small.
Don't underestimate small beginnings; great oaks from little acorns grow.
Her small business became a giant; tall oaks from little acorns grow.
To make a lot of effort to achieve something.
She took great pains to ensure the event ran smoothly.
He went to great pains to hide his disappointment.
To do something very carefully and with a lot of attention.
The chef takes great pains with every dish.
She took great pains over the wedding decorations.
great — adverb
1. in a very good, successful, or satisfactory way — used informally after verbs de
in a very good, successful, or satisfactory way — used informally after verbs describing performance, progress, or state.
I am doing great, thanks — my new job is going very well.
colloquial: 'doing great' after verb 'do'
The team played great in the second half of the match and scored three goals.
Everything is going great with the new coffee shop since it opened downtown last month.
Despite the heavy rain all afternoon, the outdoor wedding turned out great in the end.
The two sisters get along great now that they share an apartment in Brooklyn.
- doing great
- going great
- playing great
- working great
- getting along great
- turned out great
- well
standard form; acceptable in all registers
- really well
emphatic but still neutral in register
- wonderfully
more formal and expressive
Grammar Patterns
do/go/play/work + great
Usage Note
In formal writing, use 'very well' instead of 'great' as an adverb. 'Great' as an adverb is accepted in everyday speech and informal writing but may be marked as incorrect in tests or academic contexts. It is most common in North American English; British speakers often prefer 'really well'.
Common Mistakes
great — noun
1. a highly famous, deeply respected, or outstandingly skilled individual in a part
a highly famous, deeply respected, or outstandingly skilled individual in a particular line of work, most often the arts or sports.
The museum has a permanent collection of paintings by the greats of modern French art.
pattern: the greats of + field
Young musicians travel to New Orleans hoping to learn from the jazz greats.
Feng studied the philosophical greats during his final year at university.
Serena Williams is widely considered one of the all-time greats of tennis.
The awards ceremony gathered the greats of Hollywood together under one roof.
- the greats of
- one of the greats
- all-time greats
- modern greats
- jazz greats
- literary greats
Grammar Patterns
the greats of + field
one of the greats
all-time greats
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural ('the greats'). Singular use ('he is a great') is rarer and sounds slightly old-fashioned or self-consciously formal. The field is introduced by 'of' (the greats of cinema) or implied by context. This noun is also used in informal sports contexts to mean 'legendary players' (one of the all-time greats).
Common Mistakes
great — prefix
1. placed before a family-relationship term such as 'grandfather' or 'aunt' to indi
placed before a family-relationship term such as 'grandfather' or 'aunt' to indicate that the person is one generation more distant — either older or younger — than the base term alone would express.
Iris's great-grandfather came to Taiwan from Fujian province more than a hundred years ago.
prefix: great-grandfather (two generations above)
The old family photograph shows four generations together from the baby to her great-grandmother.
Nicholas's great-aunt still lives in the same village where she was born in 1945.
Anna's great-nephew just started primary school and loves drawing animals with crayons.
Priya's great-great-grandmother sailed from Ireland to New York in 1892 and settled in Brooklyn.
repeated prefix: great-great-grandmother (three generations above)
- great-grandfather
- great-grandmother
- great-grandparent
- great-grandchild
- great-aunt
- great-uncle
- great-nephew
- great-niece
Grammar Patterns
great- + family noun (grandfather, aunt, nephew, grandchild)
Usage Note
The prefix can be repeated (great-great-grandfather) to go further generations back. The same prefix also works for descending generations: great-grandchild, great-granddaughter, great-grandson. In informal family conversation, people may use 'great-grandma' or 'great-auntie' as affectionate forms.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'My great-grandfather's brother' (when meaning 'great-great-uncle') — The prefix works consistently: one 'great-' per generation away from the base relation.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
These five words all describe something of more than ordinary size or scale, but they differ in register, collocation, and emotional weight. 'Big' is the most neutral and versatile adjective for physical size in everyday English (a big dog, a big house). 'Large' is slightly more formal and preferred in measurements, statistics, and descriptions of area or volume (a large population, a large room). 'Great' adds a sense of significance or impressiveness beyond mere measurement — a great crowd suggests not just many people but a noteworthy gathering. 'Huge' is more informal and emotionally stronger than 'big', often carrying surprise (a huge pizza, a huge amount of homework). 'Enormous' is the strongest of the five, suggesting something that is shockingly or abnormally large (an enormous wave, an enormous debt). In usage: 'a big difference' is neutral, 'a large difference' is slightly more clinical, 'a great difference' emphasises the significance, while 'a huge/enormous difference' emphasises the surprising extent.
Common collocations
Adverbs
- really great
- absolutely great
- truly great
- quite great
Phrases
- great at
- great for
- great with
Etymology
The word 'great' comes from Old English 'grēat', which meant 'big, tall, thick, coarse'. This word goes back to a Proto-Germanic root '*grauta-' meaning 'coarse, coarse-grained'. The original idea was not just 'large' but 'rough and thick in texture', which is why it was used for coarse meal or gravel. Over time the meaning shifted from 'coarse, thick' to simply 'large in size', and later came to include abstract senses like 'important' and 'excellent'. The use as a title for rulers (Alfred the Great) dates back to medieval times. The prefix sense for family relationships (great-grandfather) developed in Middle English, originally meaning 'more remote by one generation'.