Meaning & use
greater
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“greater” is a form of “great”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Larger in size, amount or degree than something else.
Grammar: Comparative of great; often followed by than: greater than ten.
Patterns
- greater than something
- a greater number of something
The risk is greater than we thought.
A greater number of students applied this year.
Her success gave her a greater sense of confidence.
adjectivecomparable
More important, powerful or admirable than another.
Grammar: Often in comparisons: a greater honor.
Patterns
- greater than someone
No one has a greater claim to the title.
Few honors are greater than this award.
He is a greater artist than his teacher.
adjectivebefore a noun
Including the surrounding districts of a major city, used with a place name.
Grammar: Capitalized with the city name: Greater London.
Patterns
- Greater + city
Greater London has millions of residents.
The Greater Boston area has many universities.
He lives in Greater Manchester.
adjectivebefore a nounbiology
Used for the larger of two similar species or things.
Grammar: Part of an animal or plant name: greater flamingo.
Patterns
- greater + species
We spotted a greater flamingo at the lake.
The greater yellowlegs wades in shallow pools.
A greater kudu has long spiral horns.
Common combinations
- greater good
- They gave up their land for the greater good.
- greater than
- Seven is greater than five.
- greater extent
- The plan failed to a greater extent than expected.
- greater London
- Greater London includes many suburbs.
- greater risk
- Smokers face a greater risk of illness.
Synonyms and how they differ
- larger
- Larger is about size, while greater is also used for degree, importance and abstract amounts.
- bigger
- Bigger is informal and mostly physical, whereas greater can be more formal.
- superior
- Superior stresses better quality or rank, not just more.
- higher
- Higher is about height or level, not amount in general.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: greater or grater? greater or greater?
greater vs grater
A grater is a kitchen tool for shredding food and sounds like greater.
greater vs greater
Greater is the comparative, while greatest is used for the highest degree of three or more.
Practice
Which is correct? The danger of flooding is ___ in spring than in summer.
Choose one answer.
Greater is the comparative form needed with than. Greatest is a superlative and more great is not natural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “greater”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.