by and large

British  

adverb

1. in general; on the whole

---

by and large Idioms  

1. For the most part, generally speaking, as in By and large the novel was a success. This expression originated in 17th-century seamanship, where it referred to sailing into the wind and then off it, which made it easier to steer. By the early 1700s the term had been broadened to mean “in one direction and another,” whence its present meaning of “in general.” For a synonym, see for the most part.

---

Etymology

Origin of by and large

C17: originally nautical (meaning: to the wind and off it)

Example Sentences

Despite the fact that, by and large, Americans have never been richer External link, consumer sentiment is in the doldrums.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

But by and large, Goolsbee said, consumer-spending growth and modest unemployment suggest the economy has held up well, making inflation the appropriate target of the Fed’s attention.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

It has endured for 70 years because its attractions, by and large, reflect cultural myths.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Members of the president's party, by and large, support the legislation too.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

Jobs were, by and large, a mystery to me.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

Related Words

• commonly
• consistently
• customarily
• frequently
• generally
• mostly
• naturally
• normally
• occasionally
• often
• ordinarily
• regularly
• routinely
• sometimes