mighty
Americanadjective
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having, characterized by, or showing superior power or strength.
mighty rulers.
- Antonyms:
- feeble
-
of great size; huge.
a mighty oak.
- Synonyms:
- sizable, tremendous, enormous, immense
- Antonyms:
- small
-
great in amount, extent, degree, or importance; exceptional.
a mighty accomplishment.
adverb
noun
adjective
-
-
having or indicating might; powerful or strong
-
( as collective noun; preceded by the )
the mighty
-
-
very large; vast
-
very great in extent, importance, etc
adverb
Usage
What does mighty mean? Mighty means extremely strong (as in a mighty warrior) or powerful (as in a mighty king).The noun might most commonly means great strength or power. People who are mighty in this way are sometimes referred to collectively as the mighty, in the same way that the rich is sometimes used, as in The rich and mighty hold all the power. The expression how the mighty have fallen is used to comment on a once powerful or popular person or thing that is now much less powerful or popular.Mighty can also mean of great size—especially big for its kind, as in a mighty oak. Less commonly, mighty means of great importance, as in a mighty accomplishment.Sometimes, mighty is used as a very informal way of saying very or extremely, as in That’s a mighty fine hat you’re wearing. This use of mighty can sound a bit old-fashioned or folksy.The adverb form of mighty is mightily.The phrase high and mighty is often used as an adverb meaning in an arrogant or self-important manner, as in Please stop acting so high and mighty—you’re not the boss here. It can also be used as an adjective, in which case it’s often hyphenated (high-and-mighty). The phrase can also be used as a collective noun in the same way that mighty can, as in The high and mighty take too much and give too little. Example: He was a mighty ruler, and his empire extended to the ends of the earth.
Related Words
See powerful.
Other Word Forms
- mightiness noun
- overmighty adjective
- quasi-mighty adjective
Etymology
Origin of mighty
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English mihtig; might 2, -y 1
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.
One comic gimmick involves Appa’s superhuman grip that can subdue even the mightiest of men.
From Los Angeles Times
Hüller’s voice begins small before unfurling into a mighty, sonorant exclamation until it’s brought back down again, like a woman who’s reluctant to let herself have too much faith in the impossible.
From Salon
By the time the eighth inning rolled around, the mighty U.S. offense had not gotten a runner into scoring position on Tuesday, and had gone scoreless for 18 of its previous 19 innings.
From Los Angeles Times
In a couple of mighty blows, he drove the first nail home.
From Literature
Like their hero, the only masculine strength they seem interested in is the kind performed for cameras, far away from real-world challenges that might easily defeat their self-image as the mightiest of men.
From Salon
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.
