vast
gb/vˈæst/ us/vˈæst/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Extremely large in size or extent
Very, very big in size or amount.
Usage pattern:
[something] is vast
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'vast' with 'fast' due to similar sounds, but 'vast' refers to size, not speed.
Synonyms
immense (Slightly more formal; often used for impressive scale.)
|
enormous (Common in everyday English; emphasizes size.)
Antonyms
tiny (Emphasizes being extremely small in size.)
|
minute (Formal or precise term for very small.)
Collocations
vast majority
|vast area
|vast amount
|vast difference
|vast knowledge
Themes
descriptions
|geography
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The desert stretched out into a vast expanse of sand.
- She has a vast knowledge of world history.
- A vast majority of voters supported the new policy.
- The ocean is vast and mysterious.
- They own vast amounts of farmland.
Learner examples
- The ocean is vast.
- He has a vast garden.
- They live on a vast farm.
- We saw a vast desert.
- She read a vast number of books.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vast
IPA
GB/vˈæst/
US/vˈæst/
Syllables & stress
vast (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (vast)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: vast
- Comparative: vaster
- Superlative: vastest
Word family
Expressions
vast expanse
1/vˈæst ɪkspˈæns/
fixed phrase
A very large open area
A very big and wide space.
Examples
- We looked out over the vast expanse of the sea.
- The hikers crossed a vast expanse of grassland.
vast majority
1/vˈæst məd͡ʒˈɔɹəti/
fixed phrase
The much larger part of a group
Most of the people or things in a group.
Examples
- The vast majority of students passed the exam.
- The vast majority of the population lives in cities.