Massive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈma-siv/ mas·sive

Meaning & Definition of Massive

Massive (adjective)

  1. forming or consisting of a large mass:
  2. bulky
  3. weighty, heavy

Massive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having great weight

    "a massive piece of furniture that was nearly impossible to move"

    similar: heavy, hefty, ponderous, weighty
    related: burdensome, leaden, lumpish, bulky, elephantine, massy, outsize, voluminous, overweight, top-heavy, solid, substantial, ultraheavy
    opposite: light, weightless
    near: airy, ethereal, feathery, fluffy, gossamer, gossamery, flimsy, insubstantial, slight, lightweight, undersized, underweight, ultralight, ultralightweight

  2. unusually large

    "the massive statue took up most of the small yard"

    similar: astronomical, Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantesque, gigantic, grand, herculean, heroic, Himalayan, huge, humongous, immense, jumbo, king-size, leviathan, mammoth, mega, mighty, monster, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, oceanic, pharaonic, planetary, prodigious, super, super-duper, supersize, supersized, titanic, tremendous, vast, vasty, walloping, whacking, whopping
    related: big, bulky, considerable, extensive, good, goodly, great, gross, handsome, hefty, hulking, largish, major, outsize, overgrown, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, voluminous, august, formidable, grandiose, imposing, lofty, majestic, cavernous, monolithic, overwhelming, staggering, stupendous, towering, boundless, immeasurable, infinite
    opposite: bantam, bitty, diminutive, infinitesimal, Lilliputian, little bitty, micro, microminiature, microscopic, midget, miniature, minuscule, minute, pocket, pygmy, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee
    near: little, mini, petite, pint-size, puny, small, smallish, undersized, dinky, dwarfish, half-pint

  3. large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception

    "the war memorial's massive dignity moves most visitors to reflective silence"

    similar: august, baronial, epic, gallant, glorious, grand, grandiose, heroic, Homeric, imperial, imposing, magnific, magnificent, majestic, monumental, noble, proud, regal, royal, splendid, stately
    related: colossal, monstrous, prodigious, stupendous, tremendous, kingly, lordly, princely, queenly, awesome, awful, cosmic, sublime, wondrous, formidable, impressive, prepossessing, redoubtable, apocalyptic, inflated, operatic, overblown, pompous, marvelous, superb, terrific, wonderful, extravagant, lavish, luxurious, opulent, palatial, palatine, sumptuous, gorgeous, resplendent, splendiferous, extraordinary, killer, remarkable, sensational, striking, celestial, divine, heavenly
    opposite: humble, unheroic, unimposing, unimpressive
    near: lowly, modest, unprepossessing, average, common, mediocre, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, second-rate, abject, mean, meretricious, shabby, sordid, insignificant, measly, paltry, petty, puny, trifling, trivial

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Massive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Massive:

heavy, hefty, ponderous, weighty, astronomical, Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantesque, gigantic, grand, herculean, heroic, Himalayan, huge, humongous, immense, jumbo, king-size, leviathan, mammoth, mega, mighty, monster, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, oceanic, pharaonic, planetary, prodigious, super, super-duper

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Massive

Words with the opposite meaning of Massive:

light, weightless, bantam, bitty, diminutive, infinitesimal, Lilliputian, little bitty, micro, microminiature, microscopic, midget, miniature, minuscule, minute, pocket, pygmy, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee, humble, unheroic, unimposing, unimpressive

Related Words for Massive

burdensome, leaden, lumpish, bulky, massy, outsize, voluminous, overweight, top-heavy, solid, substantial, ultraheavy, big, considerable, extensive, good, goodly, great, gross, handsome, hulking, largish, major, overgrown, oversize, sizable, tidy, formidable, lofty, cavernous

Near Antonyms of Massive

airy, ethereal, feathery, fluffy, gossamer, gossamery, flimsy, insubstantial, slight, lightweight, undersized, underweight, ultralight, ultralightweight, little, mini, petite, pint-size, puny, small, smallish, dinky, dwarfish, half-pint, lowly, modest, unprepossessing, average, common, mediocre

Word Forms of Massive

Derived words: massively (adverb), massiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Massive

Middle English massiffe, from Anglo-French mascif, alteration of massiz, from Vulgar Latin *massicius, from Latin massa mass

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Massive

Frequently Asked Questions about Massive

What does "Massive" mean?

"Massive" means forming or consisting of a large mass:. As an adjective, it is defined as: forming or consisting of a large mass:. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Massive"?

Other words for "Massive" include heavy, hefty, ponderous, weighty, astronomical, Brobdingnagian, bumper and colossal. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Massive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Massive"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Massive". Common alternatives include heavy, hefty, ponderous, weighty, astronomical, Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic and cyclopean.

What is the opposite of "Massive"?

Antonyms of "Massive" include light, weightless, bantam, bitty, diminutive, infinitesimal, Lilliputian and little bitty. Near antonyms include airy, ethereal, feathery and fluffy.

How do you use "Massive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Massive" in a sentence: "a massive piece of furniture that was nearly impossible to move"; "the massive statue took up most of the small yard"; "the war memorial's massive dignity moves most visitors to reflective silence".

Is "Massive" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Massive" is an adjective.

Is "Massive" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Massive" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Massive"?

"Massive" is pronounced /ˈma-siv/ and divided into syllables as mas·sive.