a colossal responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'a colossal responsibility' is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase can be used to describe a situation in which someone is faced with an overwhelming task or duty. For example, " Working as the CEO of a large company is a colossal responsibility."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It was a colossal responsibility.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I was thinking about the colossal responsibility Germans have to ensure that their Nazi history never repeats itself and the deliberate self-reflection they have undertaken in the decades since World War II.

Huffington Post

For Chuck Cornell, these stories represent a colossal breakdown of collective responsibility.

Huffington Post

The museum skirts responsibility for a colossal flub.

Los Angeles Times

Whatever the popular view of Somerset, the disastrous events of 1549 were taken as evidence of a colossal failure of government, and the Council laid the responsibility at the Protector's door.

Wikipedia

What a colossal failure!

Independent

That is a colossal achievement.

The Economist

Safety is a colossal issue.

The New York Times

A colossal and inspirational figure.

Independent

This was a colossal understatement.

The New York Times

Zambrano was a colossal flop.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a colossal responsibility" when you want to emphasize not only the importance but also the overwhelming scale of a task or duty.

Common error

Avoid using "a colossal responsibility" for everyday tasks or minor duties; reserve it for situations where the scale and impact are genuinely significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a colossal responsibility" functions as a noun phrase, with "colossal" modifying the noun "responsibility". It's used to describe a duty or task that is exceptionally large and important, as supported by Ludwig AI's analysis.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a colossal responsibility" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a task or duty that is exceptionally large and important. While Ludwig indicates the phrase is correct, its frequency is rare, predominantly appearing in news and media. When using this phrase, remember to reserve it for genuinely significant situations and consider alternatives like "an immense responsibility" or "a huge responsibility" for similar emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an immense responsibility

Replaces "colossal" with "immense", indicating a very great size or degree.

a huge responsibility

Substitutes "colossal" with "huge", conveying a large size or extent.

a massive responsibility

Replaces "colossal" with "massive", suggesting a large scale or bulk.

a tremendous responsibility

Uses "tremendous" instead of "colossal", indicating something exceptionally large or great.

an enormous responsibility

Replaces "colossal" with "enormous", meaning extraordinarily large in size or degree.

a gigantic responsibility

Substitutes "colossal" with "gigantic", emphasizing the extremely large size.

a weighty responsibility

Changes the adjective to "weighty", focusing on the heaviness and seriousness of the responsibility.

a significant responsibility

Replaces "colossal" with "significant", highlighting the importance and impact of the responsibility.

a substantial responsibility

Substitutes "colossal" with "substantial", indicating a considerable amount or size of responsibility.

a major responsibility

Uses "major" instead of "colossal", emphasizing the importance and seriousness of the responsibility.

FAQs

How can I use "a colossal responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use "a colossal responsibility" to describe a task or duty that is not only important but also very large or overwhelming. For instance, "Leading this project is "a colossal responsibility"".

What are some alternatives to "a colossal responsibility"?

Alternatives include "an immense responsibility", "a huge responsibility", or "a massive responsibility", all of which emphasize the scale and importance of the duty.

When is it appropriate to use "a colossal responsibility"?

It's appropriate when referring to a duty or task that is exceptionally large in scope and carries significant weight or consequences. It should not be used for trivial matters.

Is "a colossal responsibility" formal or informal?

The phrase "a colossal responsibility" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts when describing a task or duty of considerable magnitude. The formality depends more on the surrounding language and context.