Tremendous | Definition of tremendous by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of TREMENDOUS

1

: being such as may excite trembling or arouse dread, awe, or terror

2

a : notable by reason of extreme size, power, greatness, or excellence <tremendous problems> <a writer of tremendous talent> —often used as a generalized term of approval <had a tremendous time>

b : unusually large : huge <a tremendous number of people>

— tre·men·dous·ly adverb

— tre·men·dous·ness noun

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Origin of TREMENDOUS

Latin tremendus, from gerundive of tremere

First Known Use: 1632

Related to TREMENDOUS

Synonyms: astronomical (also astronomic), Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic (also cosmical), cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantesque, gigantic, grand, herculean, heroic (also heroical), Himalayan, humongous (also humungous), immense, jumbo, king-size (or king-sized), leviathan, mammoth, massive, mega, mighty, monster, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, oceanic, pharaonic, planetary, prodigious, super, super-duper, supersize, supersized, titanic, huge, vast, vasty, walloping, whacking, whopping

Antonyms: bantam, bitty, diminutive, infinitesimal, Lilliputian, little bitty, micro, microminiature, microscopic (also microscopical), midget, miniature, minuscule, minute, pocket, pygmy, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee

Synonym Discussion of TREMENDOUS

monstrous, prodigious, tremendous, stupendous mean extremely impressive. monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness <the monstrous waste of the project>. prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size) <made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside>. tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe <the tremendous roar of the cataract>. stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description <a stupendous volcanic eruption>.