appear enormous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appear enormous" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that seems very large or significant in size or impact. Example: "From a distance, the mountains appear enormous, dominating the landscape."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

In the movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," an inventor accidently miniaturizes his children, making the world appear enormous to them.

The New York Times - Science

Who better than Tencent, a listed corporation that has benefited from the free market, which bravely volunteered that "Wall Street is definitely not 'pure evil.'" To the proletariat, it noted, bonuses may appear enormous, but one shouldn't blame the winners.

The New York Times

Recent recalls of toys appear enormous, but in comparison with the overwhelming volume of toys produced via outsourcing, it is rather small; millions against billions.

Forbes

To your small eyes the glass beads appear enormous, their crystal ball exterior housing all the elegance, maturity and magic in the world.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The therapeutic potential appears enormous, and for the DIY crowd, a central appeal is neuroenhancement – the potential to prompt clear-headed focus and amp up cognitive functions.

Independent

Back then, the global services division – which handles IT contracts for big companies – was bleeding cash and generating a £2bn exceptional charge as a result of cost overruns; the pension fund deficit appeared enormous; and the dividend was cut.

The Guardian - Business

Their eyes appeared enormous and consumed their entire faces.

Huffington Post

Suddenly, through the lily pods, scary brown dark houseboats appeared, enormous brooding log cabins, seeming remnants of Mark Twain's Louisiana or a Disney ride through pirate-land.

Huffington Post

One will probably suffice for the table: rabbits in Germany, it would appear, have enormous livers.

The New York Times - Travel

Highlights include an Oklahoma warriors' dance, in which men wear huge fans of feathers attached to their waists at the back, making them appear like enormous, colorful birds, and a Pueblo hoop dance, in which two performers ultimately work with four hoops apiece.

The New York Times

Looming on the horizon appear some enormous and luridly yellow structures, with strangely staggered walls.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing something that seems larger than it actually is due to perspective or circumstance, "appear enormous" can effectively convey this perceived size. For example, 'From the ant's perspective, the breadcrumb appeared enormous.'

Common error

Avoid using "appear enormous" in highly formal or scientific writing where more precise measurements or descriptions would be more appropriate. Instead, opt for specific dimensions or more technical terminology.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appear enormous" functions as a descriptive phrase, where "appear" acts as a linking verb connecting the subject to the adjective "enormous". Ludwig AI validates its use as grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "appear enormous" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe something that seems very large. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While versatile, it is most commonly found in neutral contexts such as news or descriptive writing and has a somewhat rare frequency. When seeking alternatives, consider "look gigantic" or "seem immense". Be mindful of the subjective nature of the phrase and avoid overuse in highly formal or scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

look gigantic

Changes the verb and adjective while retaining the core meaning of appearing very large.

seem immense

Replaces "appear" with "seem" and "enormous" with "immense", offering a slightly more formal tone.

appear massive

Substitutes "enormous" with "massive", suggesting great size and scale.

seem colossal

Employs "colossal" instead of "enormous" to emphasize the extraordinary size.

look substantial

Replaces "enormous" with "substantial", indicating a considerable size or amount.

appear considerable

Uses "considerable" instead of "enormous" to downplay a little bit size itself and switch to an amount.

loom large

Uses a more figurative expression, focusing on the impression of size and significance.

cut a mighty figure

A figurative expression indicating an imposing presence.

take on epic proportions

Shifts the focus to proportions rather than just size, suggesting something has grown to a very large scale.

assume gigantic dimensions

Emphasizes the transformation into a very large size or scale.

FAQs

How can I use "appear enormous" in a sentence?

You can use "appear enormous" to describe something that seems very large or significant in size or impact. For example: "From a distance, the mountains "appear enormous", dominating the landscape."

What can I say instead of "appear enormous"?

You can use alternatives like "look gigantic", "seem immense", or "appear massive" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "appears enormous" instead of "appear enormous"?

Yes, it is correct to say "appears enormous" if the subject is singular. For example, "The task appears enormous."

What is the difference between "appear enormous" and "is enormous"?

"Appear enormous" implies a subjective perception of size, while "is enormous" suggests an objective and measurable size. "Appear enormous" means something gives the impression of being very large, even if it isn't objectively so.