A1adjective1K

Big

UK /["/bɪɡ/"]/US /["/bɪɡ/"]/

Definition

large in size, degree, amount, etc.

In simple words: large in size or amount

Examples

The elephant is a big animal that lives in the jungle.
He bought a big house with a large garden.
She has big dreams of becoming a famous musician.
The cake was big enough to feed everyone at the party.
That is a big problem we need to solve quickly.

Usage notes

Used to describe physical size or importance. Avoid using in formal writing to describe abstract concepts; opt for 'significant' or 'substantial'.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of a big bear, larger than all the other animals.

Collocations

be
look
seem
extremely
fairly
very
big fat
great big
be
look
seem
extremely
fairly
very
big fat
great big

Synonyms

large
huge
enormous
gigantic
massive

Antonyms

small
tiny
petite

Common mistakes

Confused with 'large' - remember, 'big' is more informal.
Using 'biggest' incorrectly - ensure the comparison is appropriate.
Omitting the noun after 'big' - always specify what is big.