Meaning & use
sizeable
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparableBritish
Fairly large in amount, number or physical size, though not enormous.
Grammar: Goes before a noun or after be: a sizeable crowd, the crowd was sizeable.
Patterns
- a sizeable amount of something
- a sizeable number of people
The charity received a sizeable donation from a local baker.
A sizeable crowd gathered outside the stadium.
They live in a sizeable house on the edge of town.
adjectivebefore a noun
Large enough to matter or to have an effect, especially when talking about money, profit or support.
Grammar: Usually comes before words such as profit, majority or share.
Patterns
- a sizeable majority
- a sizeable share of something
The party won a sizeable majority in the council vote.
Exports now make up a sizeable share of the firm's income.
Word forms
| comparative | more sizeable |
|---|---|
| superlative | most sizeable |
Common combinations
- sizeable amount
- She saved a sizeable amount before buying the flat.
- sizeable majority
- A sizeable majority backed the plan.
- sizeable minority
- A sizeable minority of staff disagreed.
- sizeable crowd
- A sizeable crowd waited for the band.
- sizeable profit
- The farm shop made a sizeable profit this year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- considerable
- Considerable is more formal and works for abstract things such as effort, while sizeable suggests a measurable amount or physical size.
- substantial
- Substantial suggests solid or important weight, and sounds a little more serious than sizeable.
- large
- Large is a plain, neutral word, whereas sizeable implies the amount is bigger than you might expect.
- hefty
- Hefty is informal and often used for costs or things that feel heavy.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: sizeable or sizable? sizeable or sizeably?
sizeable vs sizable
Sizable is the preferred American spelling and means exactly the same thing.
sizeable vs sizeably
This spelling is a misformed adverb; the standard adverb is sizably.
Practice
Which sentence uses sizeable in the best way?
Choose one answer.
Sizeable is an adjective meaning fairly large and fits before group. The other options misuse it as a feeling, a verb or as a contradiction of tiny.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sizeable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.