a large chunk

USAGE SUMMARY

"a large chunk" is a correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a significant or substantial portion of something. Example: After hours of digging, they finally unearthed a large chunk of ancient pottery.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It's a large chunk of my day.

The Guardian

A large chunk is due from the central government.

The Economist

Festivals make up a large chunk of this.

The Economist

The consequences affected a large chunk of humanity.

The Economist

But a large chunk of Kenya's elite thinks differently.

The Economist

A large chunk of Indian wealth goes undeclared.

The New York Times

A large chunk of concrete loomed inches above their heads.

The New York Times

It shows a large chunk of ham on a salver.

The Guardian - Arts

A large chunk will be carried out by local government and state-owned enterprises.

The Economist

Ms. Rousseff favors using a large chunk of the oil revenues to enhance public education.

The New York Times

If one strand contains a large chunk of DNA in reverse order, alignment will be thwarted.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with 'of' followed by a collective noun or an uncountable noun for maximum impact, for example: 'a large chunk of the budget' or 'a large chunk of history'.

Common error

While common in news, the word 'chunk' can feel too informal for a legal contract or a primary scientific abstract. In these cases, opt for "a substantial portion" to maintain a technical tone.

Linguistic Context

In linguistic terms, "a large chunk" functions as a complex determiner or a noun phrase that quantifies the noun it modifies. According to Ludwig AI, it serves as a partitive construction, usually followed by the preposition 'of'.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a large chunk" is a robust and versatile expression used to denote a significant portion of a whole. Data from Ludwig AI indicates that it is most frequently employed in journalism to describe substantial parts of budgets, time, populations or physical matter. While it carries a slightly more descriptive and less clinical tone than 'proportion' or 'percentage', it remains highly professional. Its strength lies in its ability to make abstract quantities feel substantial and concrete. Writers should feel confident using it in most professional settings, though they might consider more technical alternatives like "a significant percentage" in the most rigorous academic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant portion

More formal and suitable for academic or technical reports.

a substantial part

Focuses on the importance of the section within the whole.

a large proportion

Refers specifically to the ratio compared to the total.

a sizable share

Commonly used in business contexts regarding market or equity distribution.

a major slice

More idiomatic and visual, often used in financial or budget discussions.

a vast amount

Emphasizes sheer quantity rather than a specific segment of a whole.

a considerable percentage

Shifts the focus to a mathematical or statistical representation.

a hefty block

Implies weight or solidity, often used for time or physical materials.

a massive section

Increases the intensity of the size being described.

a good deal

A more colloquial way to express a large but undefined quantity.

FAQs

How to use "a large chunk" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a major part of a total, such as: 'The commute takes up "a large chunk" of my day' or 'They allocated "a large chunk" of the funds to research'.

What can I say instead of "a large chunk"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "a significant portion", "a sizable part" or "a substantial share".

Is "a large chunk" considered informal?

It is generally considered neutral. While it appears frequently in reputable news outlets like The New York Times and The Economist, it might be replaced by "a large proportion" in extremely formal academic writing.

What is the difference between "a large chunk" and "a large amount"?

The phrase "a large chunk" usually implies a specific segment or piece taken from a whole, whereas "a large amount" refers to a general quantity without necessarily implying it is a portion of a larger entity.