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Meaning & use

greatest

adjective, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈɡreɪtɪst/
US/ˈɡreɪtɪst/

“greatest” is a form of “great”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Superlative of great: best, finest or most admirable of all in a group.

    Grammar: Takes the: the greatest player; it often appears in of all time.

    Patterns

    • the greatest of all time
    • the greatest something in something

    She is the greatest tennis player of her era.

    That was the greatest meal I have ever eaten.

    He called her the greatest teacher he had known.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Largest or highest in amount, degree or size.

    Grammar: Used before nouns like importance, extent or need: the greatest need.

    Patterns

    • the greatest extent
    • the greatest number of something

    The greatest danger was the cold.

    The flood caused the greatest damage near the river.

    They helped those in the greatest need.

  3. nounsingularinformal

    The best person or thing, especially in a field or contest.

    Grammar: Usually the Greatest, in informal praise: he is simply the greatest.

    Patterns

    • the greatest

    My grandmother is the greatest.

    Fans still call him the Greatest.

    You are the greatest for helping me.

Common combinations

greatest of all time
Many call him the greatest of all time.
greatest hits
The band released a greatest hits album.
greatest extent
We should use our time to the greatest extent.
greatest fear
His greatest fear was failure.
greatest need
Help goes to those in greatest need.

Synonyms and how they differ

best
Best is the plain judgement of quality, while greatest adds a sense of grandeur and lasting importance.
largest
Largest refers only to size, but greatest can mean size, amount or excellence.
finest
Finest suggests high quality and refinement rather than overall impact.
supreme
Supreme means highest in rank or degree, a little more formal than greatest.

Opposites

leastworstsmallest

Word family

great adjective
very good, large or important
greater adjective
the comparative of great
greatness noun
the quality of being great
greatly adverb
to a high degree

Commonly confused: greatest or greater?

greatest vs greater

Greater compares two things; greatest compares three or more.

Practice

Of the three bridges in the city, the old stone one is the ____.

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