WordGarden.iowhopper
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈɒpə/
US
- /ˈhwɑpər/
Meanings
Noun
something exceptionally large or striking
a very large lie or exaggeration
Proper-noun
Burger King's signature hamburger sandwich
Beyond the definition
A "whopper" usually means one of two things: a very big lie or something very large. You might hear it in "a whopper of a fish" or "a whopper of a storm," where it means something impressive in size. You can also say someone told a whopper, meaning they told a lie that is hard to believe. The word often has a playful tone, especially when it points to exaggeration more than serious dishonesty.
The word "whopper" has two main meanings. First, it can mean something very large or impressive. Imagine a fisherman coming back with a whopper of a catch: a fish so big that everyone wants to see it. In this sense, the word can describe size, amount, or strength, as in a whopper of a storm, a whopper of a meal, or a whopper of a mistake.
Second, "whopper" can mean a very big lie. If someone says, "That story is a whopper," they mean it is clearly not true, or at least wildly exaggerated. This meaning often feels informal and slightly humorous. It suggests a lie so large that it is almost hard to take seriously.
The context usually makes the meaning clear. If someone says, "That burger was a real whopper," they are talking about size. If they say, "He told me a whopper," they mean he lied. Burger King also helped make the word familiar by using it as the name of a large burger, which matches the "very large" sense.
So the word is useful when you want to talk about something unusually big or a lie that is far from the truth. In both cases, it usually adds a lively, informal tone.
Examples
- 1
Fishing
They caught a whopper off the coast just before sunrise.
- 2
Gardening
We grew a whopper of a tomato in the backyard this summer.
- Patterna whopper of a + noun
an extremely big one
- 3
Bills
Our heating bill was a whopper last January.
- 4
Severe weather
That storm was a real whopper, and half the town lost power.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Big lie
He told his boss a whopper about why he was late.
- Phrasetell a whopper
tell a very big lie
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- whoppernoun