very great

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Extremely large in amount, degree, or importance.

   Grammar: Used before a noun to emphasize size or importance: a very great success.

   Patterns

   • a very great amount of something
   • a very great success
   • of very great importance

   The project required a very great amount of time and money.

   She showed very great courage in the face of danger.

   This discovery is of very great importance to modern medicine.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Of outstanding excellence or ability; highly distinguished.

   Grammar: Often used to describe people or works that are exceptionally good: a very great writer.

   Patterns

   • a very great writer
   • a very great achievement

   Many consider her a very great scientist.

   The team celebrated a very great victory.

Common combinations

a very great deal

He knows a very great deal about ancient history.

very great importance

The matter is of very great importance to the community.

very great success

The new product was a very great success.

very great courage

It took very great courage to speak out.

Synonyms and how they differ

enormous

Emphasizes large size or amount; often used for physical things, while 'very great' is more general and can apply to abstract qualities.

immense

Suggests something extremely large and impressive; 'very great' is more neutral and common in formal writing.

considerable

Means large enough to be important; 'very great' is stronger and more emphatic.

Opposites

Word family

greatly adverb

To a very large degree; very much.

greatness noun

The quality of being great in size, importance, or ability.

Commonly confused: very great or very well?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “very great”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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