C1adjective 10K+

Large-scale

UK /["/ˌlɑːdʒ ˈskeɪl/"]/ US /["/ˌlɑːrdʒ ˈskeɪl/"]/ Pronunciation

Definition

involving many people or things, especially over a wide area

Listen to definition

In simple words: Big or happening over a wide area.

Examples

• Large areas of the forest will be cleared for ranching as part of a large-scale development plan.
• the large-scale manufacturing of the vaccine
• The proposals include large-scale investment in agriculture and industry.
• These measures would facilitate the development of large-scale business enterprises.

Usage notes

Use 'large-scale' to describe significant projects or events. It's appropriate in business, science, and formal discussions but may sound too dramatic in casual conversations.

Grammar pattern

large-scale + noun

Memory hint

Think of a 'large scale' on a map showing a big area!

Collocations

• large-scale project
• large-scale study
• large-scale event
• large-scale operation

Synonyms

• extensive
• wide-ranging
• huge
• massive
• significant

Antonyms

• small-scale
• limited
• minor

Common mistakes

• Confusing with 'large', which is less specific.
• Using 'scale' alone without 'large'.
• Misplacing the hyphen, writing 'largescale'.