great
gb/ɡɹˈeɪt/ us/ɡɹˈeɪt/
A1
English
~ 200
jó, kiváló, kiváló minőségű, klassz, nagyszerű, nemes, színvonalas, nagy, hatalmas, kiemelkedő, remek, szuper
A1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is great
You did a great job on the presentation.
Kiváló munkát végeztél a prezentációval.
That was a great movie we saw last night.
Nagyszerű film volt, amit tegnap este láttunk.
We had a great time at the party.
This restaurant serves great food.
It’s a great opportunity for your career.
Learner examples
The food is great.
Nagyon finom az étel.
She is a great teacher.
Kiváló tanár.
We had a great day.
This book is great.
He is a great singer.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'great' with 'big' when talking about size; 'great' in this sense means 'very good', not physically large.
Meaning
Very good or impressive
Collocations
great job
|great idea
|great time
|great deal
|great success
Synonyms
excellent (Slightly more formal and emphatic than 'great'.)
|
wonderful (Adds a warmer, more emotional tone than 'great'.)
Antonyms
terrible (Indicates extremely bad quality, the opposite of 'great'.)
|
poor (Indicates low quality or standard.)
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Definition
Very good or of high quality.
Of high quality, skill, or importance; excellent.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
a great [noun]
The explorers traveled a great distance through the desert.
A felfedezők nagy távolságot tettek meg a sivatagon át.
She showed great courage in the face of danger.
Nagy bátorságot tanúsított a veszéllyel szemben.
The project required a great amount of effort.
From the top, you can see a great expanse of forest.
Learner examples
The mountain is very great in height.
A hegy nagyon magas.
We walked a great distance.
Nagy távolságot tettünk meg gyalog.
He has a great amount of books.
They have great power in the company.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'big' instead of 'great' in formal contexts; 'great' can sound more formal or literary when talking about size or extent.
Meaning
Very large in size or extent
Collocations
great distance
|great amount
|great height
|great power
Synonyms
huge (More informal and emphasizes physical size strongly.)
|
immense (Emphasizes vastness or magnitude, often more formal.)
Antonyms
small (Opposite in terms of physical size or extent.)
|
tiny (Emphasizes very small size.)
Themes
descriptions
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
|space
Definition
Very big in size, number, or amount.
Much larger, more numerous, or more intense than average.
B1
3
kiemelkedő
B2
nagy
A1
Usage pattern:
a great [person/event]
Nelson Mandela is remembered as one of the great leaders of the 20th century.
Nelson Mandelára a 20. század egyik kiemelkedő vezetőjeként emlékeznek.
Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in English literature.
Shakespeare az angol irodalom egyik legnagyobb írója.
The Great Fire of London changed the city forever.
Learner examples
She is a great leader.
Kiemelkedő vezető.
He was a great writer.
Nagy író volt.
This was a great event in history.
Meaning
Important or famous
Collocations
great leader
|great scientist
|great artist
|great achievement
Synonyms
renowned (Emphasizes being well-known and respected.)
|
legendary (Adds an element of enduring fame and admiration.)
Antonyms
unknown (Not known by many people; opposite of famous.)
|
insignificant (Not important; lacking influence or impact.)
Themes
history
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Important or famous for what someone has done.
Having achieved importance, fame, or high status in history or society.
A2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
have a great [time/experience]
We had a great time at the concert.
Nagyon jól éreztük magunkat a koncerten.
That was a great vacation; I wish it lasted longer.
Remek nyaralás volt; bárcsak tovább tartott volna.
It’s been great working with you on this project.
Learner examples
I had a great day.
Remek napom volt.
The party was great.
Szuper volt a buli.
It was great to see you.
Meaning
Very enjoyable or satisfying
Collocations
great fun
|great time
|great experience
Synonyms
fantastic (Stronger enthusiasm than 'great', informal tone.)
|
awesome (Very informal, popular among younger speakers.)
Antonyms
awful (Very bad and unpleasant experience.)
|
boring (Lacking excitement or interest.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very nice to do or experience.
Causing pleasure, enjoyment, or satisfaction.
Grammar
Dictionary form
great
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈeɪt/
US/ɡɹˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
great (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (great)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: great
- Comparative: greater
- Superlative: greatest
Word family
Expressions
Great Britain
1/ɡɹˈeɪt bɹˈɪtən/
fixed phrase
Island with England, Scotland, Wales
The island that has England, Scotland, and Wales.
Examples
- London is in Great Britain.
- Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom.
the Great Depression
1/ðə ɡɹˈeɪt dɪpɹˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
Severe 1930s economic downturn
A long time in the 1930s when many people had no jobs and little money around the world.
Examples
- The Great Depression affected economies worldwide.
- The Great Depression left millions unemployed across America.
- Many banks failed during the Great Depression.
- Many social programs were created during the Great Depression.
to a great extent
1/tə ə ɡɹˈeɪt ɪkstˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
To a large degree or amount
Mostly; for the most part; very much.
Examples
- His success is due to a great extent to his determination.
- His success is due, to a great extent, to his hard work.
- The plan worked to a great extent.
- The weather affects our sales to a great extent.