vast

adjective

ˈvast How to pronounce vast (audio)
Definition of vastnext
as in huge
unusually large a vast expanse of land just waiting to be settled

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vast distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of vast are colossal, enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, and mammoth. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," vast usually suggests immensity of extent.

the vast Russian steppes

When might colossal be a better fit than vast?

The words colossal and vast can be used in similar contexts, but colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions.

a colossal statue of Lincoln

How do enormous and immense relate to one another, in the sense of vast?

Enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnormality or monstrousness.

an enormous expense
an immense shopping mall

Where would gigantic be a reasonable alternative to vast?

Although the words gigantic and vast have much in common, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the same kind.

a gigantic sports stadium

When could huge be used to replace vast?

The synonyms huge and vast are sometimes interchangeable, but huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount.

incurred a huge debt

When would mammoth be a good substitute for vast?

The meanings of mammoth and vast largely overlap; however, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk.

a mammoth boulder

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vast The vast majority of fans in attendance were sporting orange and black. —Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025 The United States is full of many different landscapes that range from vast deserts, beaches, towering mountains, stunning coastlines, and lush forests. —Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 4 July 2025 But with the vast displays of these brightly colored pyrotechnics comes many safety risks, especially for children. —Maddie Carr july 4, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025 However, a few pearls in a vast ocean of bad policies are nothing to celebrate. —Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for vast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vast
  1. huge
  2. enormous
  3. gigantic
  4. tremendous
  5. massive
  6. giant
  7. immense
  8. colossal
Adjective
  • That's all much the same as on the 5 N. With the 6 N, though, Hyundai's engineers made some significant improvements in the car's virtual shifting, which is a huge part of what makes this series so much fun.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2025
  • Having an offensive mind as creative as Johnson will be a huge upgrade for Williams and the Bears.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Definition of huge
Adjective
  • With that enormous amount of moisture serving as fuel, the winds hitting the escarpment in West Texas served as a kind of match that started the storms.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 6 July 2025
  • The amount of water that fell rapidly on Friday is estimated around 100 billion gallons, an enormous volume that almost doubles the daily flow over Niagara Falls, according to KSAT.
    — Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
Definition of enormous
Adjective
  • On June 30, Netflix premiered its documentary Shark Whisperer, which follows Ocean Ramsey in her unique (and controversial — and viral) approach to marine conservation: swimming freely with gigantic sharks for hours on end.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2025
  • Israel doesn’t have any heavy bombers, stealthy or otherwise, capable of carrying such gigantic bombs.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Definition of gigantic
Adjective
  • Aaron Judge got the walk-off RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored Anthony Volpe on a tremendous slide in a bang-bang play at the plate, but the speedster was able to avoid any tag, despite the throw beating him.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
  • The left-handed hitter has a smooth clean swing with tremendous bat-to-ball skills that includes great vision.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Definition of tremendous
Adjective
  • Some donors continue to feel bitter about the massive amounts of money spent by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Biden/Harris aligned super PAC Future Forward.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
  • This was a massive premiere for Paramount+, combining the charismatic Billy Bob Thornton with a traditionally blue collar Taylor Sheridan storyline.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of massive
Adjective
  • One of his daughters remembers earning dessert by hopping a giant lap of the backyard on her left foot.
    — Henry Abbott, The Atlantic, 12 July 2025
  • More of the giant spiders could come up to the Northeast this year, Davis said.
    — Rick Sobey, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Definition of giant
Adjective
  • The question of whether the ambitious December train reopening will be met hangs in the balance, an indication of the immense effort still required.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • While the administration's overall approach to immigration, for instance, was viewed more negatively than positively among all voters, with 42% approving and 47% disapproving, in a Pew Research Center survey in June, the partisan gulf is immense.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Definition of immense
Adjective
  • It’s believed that the 26-year-old will earn a yearly salary of around $23m, a colossal figure considering his wages in Bergamo amounted to $3.1m per-season.
    — Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Swansea, who finished a colossal 86 places above Wrexham as recently as 2019-20, will be their divisional peers next time around — the first time the clubs have been in the same division since 2003.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Definition of colossal

Browse Nearby Words

varying
vast
vastitude
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vast. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of vast for Spanish Speakers

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