tremendous
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /trəmˈɛndəs/
US
- /trəˈmɛndəs/
- /trɪˈmɛndəs/
Description
- Very large
- Very great
- Powerful
- Excellent
- Intense
"Tremendous" is a lively word for something very great in size, amount, or strength. You can use it for a tremendous crowd, a tremendous amount of work, or tremendous pressure before an exam. In everyday English, it also often means very good or impressive, as in a tremendous performance or a tremendous success.
The word once had a stronger sense of fear and awe, but in modern English it is usually much simpler. Most of the time, it points to something unusually big, strong, serious, or excellent. So whether you are talking about a huge change, a lot of effort, or a very good result, "tremendous" fits naturally.
The word "tremendous" is used for something very great in size, amount, degree, or effect. A tremendous storm is extremely powerful. A tremendous crowd is very large. A tremendous amount of time or money is a very large amount. In these common uses, the word points to scale or strength rather than to anything technical or exact.
It is also often used in a positive way to mean very good, impressive, or successful. A singer might give a tremendous performance, a team might make a tremendous effort, or someone might achieve tremendous success after years of work. In these cases, the word adds energy and warmth, showing strong approval.
The word can also describe intense feelings or conditions. Someone may feel tremendous pressure before an important decision, tremendous relief when a problem ends, or tremendous excitement before a long-awaited event. This makes it useful not only for physical size, but also for emotional force and serious situations.
Historically, the word comes from the Latin tremendus, meaning "to be feared." That older sense of awe and fear still echoes faintly in some contexts, especially when describing something overpowering, but modern everyday English usually uses "tremendous" in the broader sense of very great or very impressive.
Overall, "tremendous" is a flexible, expressive word. It can describe something huge, powerful, intense, or excellent, depending on the context, but the common thread is always the same: the thing stands out because it is far beyond ordinary.
Examples
- 1
Work effort
They put in a tremendous amount of work before the launch.
- 2
Medical relief
The medicine brought her tremendous relief.
- 3
Business growth
The company has seen tremendous growth this year.
- 4
Decision pressure
He was under tremendous pressure to make a quick decision.
- 5
Storm damage
The storm caused tremendous damage along the coast.
- 6
Public opinion
The documentary had a tremendous impact on public opinion.
- 7
Career opportunity
It's a tremendous opportunity for someone just starting out.
- 8
Event praise
You did a tremendous job organizing the event.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- tremendousadjective