massive
Something that is massive is very, very large and heavy. It can also describe something that is much bigger or more powerful than usual.
Examples
3 of 5I saw a massive elephant at the zoo yesterday.
I saw a very, very big elephant at the zoo yesterday.
The construction of the new bridge was a massive project for the city.
Building the new bridge was a very large and important project for the city.
That pizza you ordered is absolutely massive!
That pizza you ordered is really huge!
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the word 'Mass' (a big pile of stuff) and add '-ive' to describe it. A 'Massive' rock has a lot of 'Mass'.
Quick Quiz
The blue whale is a ______ animal that lives in the ocean.
Correct!
The correct answer is: massive
Examples
I saw a massive elephant at the zoo yesterday.
everydayI saw a very, very big elephant at the zoo yesterday.
The construction of the new bridge was a massive project for the city.
formalBuilding the new bridge was a very large and important project for the city.
That pizza you ordered is absolutely massive!
informalThat pizza you ordered is really huge!
The study found massive changes in the local climate over the last century.
academicThe research found very large changes in the local weather over the past 100 years.
The company suffered massive losses after the market crashed.
businessThe business lost a very large amount of money after the market went down.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
a massive hit
something that is very popular or successful
massive heart attack
a very serious and dangerous medical event
massive debt
owing a very large amount of money
Often Confused With
'Mass' is usually a noun meaning a large body of matter, while 'massive' is the adjective describing it.
Learners sometimes confuse the sounds, but 'messy' means dirty or untidy.
Usage Notes
Use 'massive' to emphasize that something is not just big, but impressively or overwhelmingly large in scale or importance.
Common Mistakes
Avoid saying 'more massive' or 'most massive' in strict formal writing, as it is often considered an extreme adjective that doesn't need comparison, though it is common in speech.
Memory Tip
Think of the word 'Mass' (a big pile of stuff) and add '-ive' to describe it. A 'Massive' rock has a lot of 'Mass'.
Word Origin
From the French word 'massif', which comes from 'masse' (a large body of matter).
Grammar Patterns
Quick Quiz
The blue whale is a ______ animal that lives in the ocean.
Correct!
The correct answer is: massive
Related Grammar Rules
Related Vocabulary
More Descriptions words
tiny
A1Describes something that is very small in size, amount, or degree. It is more emphatic than the word 'small' and is often used to highlight how little something is.
miniature
A1A very small copy or model of something that is usually much larger. It can also refer to a very small painting, especially a portrait.
tall
A1Describing something or someone that has a greater than average height. It is typically used for living things like people and trees, or narrow objects like buildings and towers.
low
A1Not high or tall in height, often positioned close to the ground or a base level. It can also describe a small amount of something, a quiet sound, or a sad mood.
wide
A1Describes something that has a large distance from one side to the other. It is used to talk about the breadth of physical objects like roads, doors, or rivers.
thick
A1Describes something that has a large distance between its two opposite sides or surfaces. It can also describe liquids that are dense and do not flow easily, or things that grow closely together like hair or forest trees.
thin
A1Describes something that has a small distance between its two opposite sides or surfaces. It can also describe a person or animal that has very little body fat.
deep
A1As a noun, 'the deep' refers to the ocean or a very large and deep body of water. It is also used to describe the most intense or central part of a period of time, such as the middle of the night or winter.
perfect
A1In grammar, the perfect refers to a verb form that shows an action is completed or finished. It is also used in the phrase 'practice makes perfect' to describe a state of having no mistakes.
terrible
A1Used to describe something that is very bad, of poor quality, or causes great unhappiness. It is a strong way to say that you dislike something or that a situation is very unpleasant.
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