Meaning & use
gazillion
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Meaning
nouncountableinformalhumorous
An invented, exaggerated number used to mean a huge amount that the speaker does not count or specify.
Grammar: Usually singular after a, with plural gazillions in very casual exaggeration: a gazillion people; gazillions of stars.
Patterns
- a gazillion people
- gazillions of something
- a gazillion times
She said she had told him a gazillion times to call first.
The website claims to list gazillions of songs.
Word forms
| plural | gazillions |
|---|
Common combinations
- a gazillion times
- I have explained a gazillion times that the door sticks.
- gazillions of stars
- On a clear night, gazillions of stars seem visible.
- a gazillion dollars
- The movie studio spent a gazillion dollars on advertising.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: gazillion or zillion?
gazillion vs zillion
Gazillion and zillion have the same playful meaning; neither should be used for exact figures.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
Use a gazillion with the singular countable form: a gazillion people. Omitting a sounds wrong, one conflicts with the vague exaggeration, and peoples should be people.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gazillion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.