1
2
a
: large, solid, or heavy in structure
massive jaw
b
: large in scope or degree
the feeling of frustration, of being ineffectual, is massive—
David Halberstam
David Halberstam
c(1)
: large in comparison to what is typical
a massive dose of penicillin
(2)
: being extensive and severe
massive hemorrhage
(3)
: imposing in excellence or grandeur
massive simplicity
the most massive American dramatist of his time—Newsweek
Newsweek3
: having mass (see mass entry 2 sense 1c)
a massive boson
massively
adverb
massiveness
noun
Examples of massive in a Sentence
The fort had massive walls.
stars more massive than the sun
A massive effort will be required to clean up the debris.
You can find a massive amount of information on the Internet.
The stunt received massive publicity.
a massive collection of baseball cards
Recent Examples on the Web
Stevens, 86, suffered a massive stroke in 2016 and is currently in assisted living, according to her daughter, actress Joely Fisher.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.
—The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
May is the first month where the adjustments are seeing massive swings.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Moreover, the ongoing efforts to diminish scientific investment are having a massive negative effect on our ability to attract and train young scientists.
—Dr. Ardem Patapoutian, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for massive
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Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.
—The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
May is the first month where the adjustments are seeing massive swings.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Moreover, the ongoing efforts to diminish scientific investment are having a massive negative effect on our ability to attract and train young scientists.
—Dr. Ardem Patapoutian, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for massive
Cite this Entry
“Massive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/massive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
massive
adjective
mas·sive
ˈmas-iv 
1
: weighty sense 1, heavy
massive walls
2
a
: large, solid, or heavy in structure
a massive jaw
b
: large in extent or degree
a massive effort
3
: having mass
massively
adverb
massiveness
noun
Medical Definition
massive
adjective
mas·sive
ˈmas-iv
1
: large in comparison to what is typical
—used especially of medical dosage or of an infectious agent
a massive dose of penicillin
2
: being extensive and severe
—used of a pathologic condition
a massive hemorrhage
a massive collapse of a lung
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