WordGarden.iocolossal
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kəlˈɒsəl/
US
- /kəˈlɑsəl/
Meanings
Adjective
extremely large in physical size or scale
extremely great in amount, effect, or seriousness
Beyond the definition
When something is colossal, it means extraordinarily large or great—far beyond normal size, amount, or impact. Think of a colossal wave, a colossal building, or a colossal mistake. The word often carries a feeling of awe because the scale feels almost too big to believe. It comes from the idea of a colossus, like a giant statue in ancient times. You might use it for huge things in the world around you, but not for small objects like a neighbor's garden gnome.
The word "colossal" describes something enormously large in size, amount, or degree. It goes beyond just being big; it suggests a scale so large it feels almost too much to imagine. You can use it for a colossal statue, a colossal storm, a colossal crowd, or a colossal amount of effort.
Historically, it comes from "colossus," a word for a giant statue, linked in memory with famous ancient figures like the Colossus of Rhodes. We no longer see many such statues today, but the meaning of very large scale is still there.
You might describe a colossal undertaking (a project needing huge work), a colossal amount of money, or even a colossal mistake with serious consequences. It's not limited to physical size; it can also mean very great size in impact, importance, or power.
So if you want to make something sound truly massive—far larger than normal—"colossal" does that job with clear force.
Examples
- 1
Statues
The museum's entrance is guarded by two colossal stone lions.
- 2
Spending
They spent a colossal amount of money on the new stadium.
- 3
Difficult task
Cleaning up after the storm was a colossal task.
- 4
Bad decision
Ignoring the early warning signs turned out to be a colossal mistake.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Big success
Her first movie was a colossal success and made her famous overnight.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- colossaladjective