colossal
adjective
co·los·sal
kə-ˈlä-səl 
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a colossus
colossal statues
2
: of a bulk, extent, power, or effect approaching or suggesting the stupendous or incredible
colossal rock formations
colossal stellar explosions
3
: of an exceptional or astonishing degree
a colossal failure
a colossal bore
colossal ambition
Examples of colossal in a Sentence
a colossal statue of the town's founder
Recent Examples on the Web
On the season’s closing days, skiers and riders take their turn gaining speed down to the base of the slope, bending their knees and water skiing over a lake, pond or colossal puddle, just hoping to absorb the shock on the other side.
—
Anna Fiorentino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
The Institute said while dying adults have previously been filmed by fishermen, the colossal squid have never been seen alive at depth.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
The colossal squid, the world’s largest squid species, was caught on video for the first time swimming in its natural habitat, according to a California ocean research organization.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Alex Ingle / Schmidt Ocean Institute Those hooks on its arms also help differentiate colossal squid from from glacial glass squid (G. glacialis), which the team incidentally also spotted during a separate encounter.
—New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colossal
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Anna Fiorentino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
The Institute said while dying adults have previously been filmed by fishermen, the colossal squid have never been seen alive at depth.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
The colossal squid, the world’s largest squid species, was caught on video for the first time swimming in its natural habitat, according to a California ocean research organization.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Alex Ingle / Schmidt Ocean Institute Those hooks on its arms also help differentiate colossal squid from from glacial glass squid (G. glacialis), which the team incidentally also spotted during a separate encounter.
—New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colossal
Cite this Entry
“Colossal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colossal. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colossal
adjective
co·los·sal
kə-ˈläs-əl
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a colossus
especially
: of very great size
a colossal office building
2
: extraordinary, exceptional
colossal growth
a colossal failure
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