by and large

adverb

Definition of by and largenext
as in mostly
for the most part by and large, that information is accurate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of by and large Being a friend and a neighbor Crowd responses following the reading and Q&A were, by and large, positive. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Tastes have grown drier in the 127 years since it was invented, and the general public, by and large, doesn’t drink dessert cocktails anymore. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026 Florida parents are, by and large, still choosing to send their children to public schools. — Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 And the spenders have, by and large, been the only ones with a true shot at the championship. — Molly Geary, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by and large
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by and large
  1. mostly
  2. mainly
  3. primarily
  4. chiefly
  5. largely
  6. predominantly
  7. basically
  8. principally
Adverb
  • From SportsCenter star to CEO Eisen, 57, worked for ESPN from 1996 to 2003, mostly anchoring SportsCenter during the show’s cultural peak.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Throughout the 1980s, ‘90s and into the early 2000s, top schools played their exhibitions against elite amateur teams made up mostly of former college athletes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • The decor is retro-futuristic, mainly white but for the dark wood paneling on one wall and the ceiling.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Such liabilities have been growing across the entire AI trade, mainly in the form of lease obligations.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • More missiles, many more options This would significantly expand the ship’s ability to protect an entire naval task group, rather than primarily concentrating on defending itself and nearby assets.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Helium is primarily produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • Billionaires have poured hundreds of millions into super political action committees (super PACs) for campaign ads—chiefly supporting Republican candidates in tight Senate races.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • But the one question that has come up time and again -- what to do with drivers whose jobs would be eliminated -- remains largely unanswered.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • That is enough for engineering, because engineering is largely a text-generation problem.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • Brazil’s predominantly left-leaning film industry and its international counterpart have not stood on the sidelines.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
  • During his stint as president from 2006 to 2010, the company sold predominantly $200 and $300 jeans to affluent department-store shoppers with household incomes around $250,000.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • These are basically less privileged neighborhoods where the government is meant to show a greater focus on education by employing more teachers and so on.
    — Elektra Kotsoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Brody and Chang have seen them all (basically), and have some guiding thoughts to share, below.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of basically
Adverb
  • Both the founders had worked at other New York galleries, Klein principally with Bertrand Delacroix and Massey at Mulherin and Pollard.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • At the beginning of this century, Andermatt was a quiet settlement in the Ursern Valley, known principally to committed skiers, mountaineers and the Swiss military.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of principally

Browse Nearby Words

by-and-bys
by and large
by-blow
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Cite this Entry

“By and large.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/by%20and%20large. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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