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Big, large, or great
Big is the everyday word for size, large is the one for sizes and amounts, and great means very good or a lot of something abstract.
Quick rule
Talking about size casually? Big. A size label, a number, or an amount? Large. Something excellent, or abstract like pain? Great.
Large in size, amount, or importance, in everyday speech: a big house, a big problem.
Big in size or amount, a little more formal. It is the usual word for sizes and amounts: a large coffee, a large number.
With abstract nouns it means large or intense: great pain, great progress. Elsewhere it usually means very good: a great movie.
How to choose
| Question | big | large | great |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does it fit in a ___ number of? | No | Yes | SometimesSometimes |
| Can it mean very good? | No | No | Yes |
| Does it go with an abstract uncountable noun (progress, pain)? | SometimesSometimes | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
Big and large both describe size, but large is a little more formal and is the standard word for sizes and amounts. Great rarely means plain size today: with abstract nouns it means a lot of (great pain), and elsewhere it usually means very good.
How each one works
Big
Size, in everyday talk
That's a big dog!
A serious mistake or problem
We made a big mistake.
Something important
Tomorrow is a big day for me.
Large
Size, in a more formal tone
They have a large house near the beach.
Amounts: a large number
A large number of people came to the meeting.
Sizes on a menu or a label
Can I get a large coffee?
Great
Important, admired
She was a great writer.
Very good
We had a great weekend at the lake.
With abstract nouns: a lot of
He made great progress this year.
Set phrases
Big
- no big deal
- not important; nothing to worry about
- think big
- to have big plans and ambitions
Large
- by and large
- mostly; when you look at the whole thing
- at large
- still free and not caught, said of a dangerous person or animal
Great
- a great deal of
- a lot of, with uncountable nouns
- great minds think alike
- a joking way to say two people had the same idea
Almost the same
It was a big party.
Lots of people came: it is about size.
It was a great party.
It was a lot of fun, even if it was small.
In a conversation
- A:
How was the concert?
- B:
Great! The band was amazing.
- A:
Was it a big crowd?
- B:
Huge. It's a large stadium, and it was full.
Common mistakes
Wrong: We need a big number of volunteers.
Right: We need a large number of volunteers.
Number and amount pair with large, or with great in formal writing, rather than big.
Wrong: I'll have a big popcorn, please.
Right: I'll have a large popcorn, please.
On menus and size labels the word is large: small, medium, large.
Memory trick
Think of a coffee menu: small, medium, large. Large is the label word. Big is what you say out loud, and great is how the coffee tasted.
It depends
- Great big
- In casual speech, great can boost big: a great big hug. It adds emphasis rather than a new meaning.
- Large for people
- Large is not usually used for people, except as a polite way to avoid saying fat. Big is the everyday choice.
FAQ
Is large bigger than big?
No, they describe the same size. Large is a bit more formal and is the label on sizes and amounts; big is what most people say in conversation.
What is the difference between big and great?
Big is about size: a big party had lots of people. Great is about quality: a great party was fun. With abstract nouns like progress or pain, great is the one that fits.