large-scale
Americanadjective
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very extensive or encompassing; of great scope.
a large-scale business plan.
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made to a large scale.
a large-scale map.
adjective
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wide-ranging or extensive
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(of maps and models) constructed or drawn to a big scale
Etymology
Origin of large-scale
First recorded in 1885–90
Compare meaning
How does large-scale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Anything described as large-scale is happening in a big way. A large-scale study of the benefits of dark chocolate would require many people and lots of time. And lots of chocolate. Yum. Scale has to do with size, so anything large-scale is huge. A large-scale ad campaign goes all around the country — and maybe around the world. A large-scale military campaign is one that might attack on multiple fronts. Cartoon villains who want to take over the world commit large-scale crimes. A large-scale commercial farm is gigantic, cranking out tons of food. The opposite of large-scale is small-scale.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although large-scale mining has yet to begin, companies and governments are awaiting international rules that could pave the way for extraction.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
The domestic auto industry consolidation could progress slowly due to price control and local governments’ usual preference to prevent large-scale bankruptcies, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said Sunday that the tax windfall would help finance large-scale projects around AI and the semiconductor industry.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Together, they form a layered national observance that blends official programming, political messaging and large-scale public spectacle.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026
He had also begun negotiating a contract with Eastman Kodak for large-scale industrial production of these nonradioactive substances.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
