prodigious thing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prodigious thing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something remarkable or extraordinary in size, degree, or extent. Example: "The prodigious thing about the universe is its vastness, which is beyond human comprehension."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Jim Cooper's mountain of coal is a prodigious thing to behold.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Meanwhile, the statistical evidence against prodigies doing prodigious things in men's tennis keeps piling up.

The New York Times - Sports

It was crucial that proper use be made of the "stupendous and prodigious things that are happening among us".

The New Yorker

Dalí, whose precisely realistic renderings of fantastic images like melting watches are very popular with art collectors both casual and serious, once said that he awoke "wonderstruck" at the thought of the prodigious things he would do that day.

The New York Times

Though his performance was, among many things, a prodigious feat of memory, that is not the way to think of it.

The New York Times - Arts

The Wall Street Journal suggests that you should neither "try to be great" nor "use your prodigious talents to mess things up".

Huffington Post

His memory - not just for people and dates, but looks and sounds and the feel of things - is prodigious; it would be a wonder at 45, never mind 85.

The Guardian - Books

The orchestra's strings use practically no vibrato; Ibragimova uses it sparingly (to bring the solo line alive), and her subtle changes of colour and prodigious range of articulation are things to wonder at.

The Guardian - Music

"It was an immense thing," he said, "this prodigious work ethic …" These days, Soames works seven days a week, five or six hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Guardian - Business

The playing, now and then halting as he tried to remember certain passages, was mostly prodigious and lush, evocative of familiar things.

The New Yorker

(There I go again with the whole age thing... still, Carter's prodigious late period of creativity is something unique in musical culture!) The first clue to the work's iridescent and effervescent vitality is in that subtitle.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "prodigious thing" to describe something that is not only large but also evokes a sense of awe or wonder due to its size, quantity, or impact. Consider the emotional effect you want to create.

Common error

Avoid using "prodigious thing" when merely indicating size without an element of astonishment or exceptional quality. "Large thing" or "massive object" might be more appropriate in simpler contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prodigious thing" functions as a noun phrase where "prodigious" modifies the noun "thing". It serves to emphasize the remarkable quality, size, or extent of the subject. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's used to describe something impressively large or significant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prodigious thing" is a phrase used to describe something remarkably large, significant, or impressive, often evoking a sense of wonder. While grammatically correct and usable as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is relatively rare. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts. For alternative phrasing, consider "remarkable phenomenon" or "extraordinary occurrence", depending on the desired nuance. When using this phrase, be sure the context warrants the emphasis on exceptional size or impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remarkable phenomenon

Replaces the adjective "prodigious" with "remarkable" and the noun "thing" with "phenomenon", emphasizing the unusual nature of the subject.

extraordinary occurrence

Substitutes "prodigious" with "extraordinary" and "thing" with "occurrence", highlighting the exceptional nature of an event.

immense object

Focuses on the size aspect, replacing "prodigious" with "immense" and "thing" with "object".

substantial entity

Replaces "prodigious" with "substantial" and "thing" with "entity", emphasizing the considerable nature of something.

significant development

Replaces "prodigious" with "significant" and "thing" with "development", suggesting an important event or advancement.

notable item

Replaces "prodigious" with "notable" and "thing" with "item", highlighting its importance or interest.

considerable matter

Emphasizes the importance of the subject, replacing "prodigious" with "considerable" and "thing" with "matter".

impressive feat

Highlights the achievement aspect, replacing "prodigious" with "impressive" and "thing" with "feat".

monumental undertaking

Replaces "prodigious" with "monumental" and "thing" with "undertaking", emphasizing the large scale and ambition of a project.

remarkable creation

Highlights the quality of being created in an impressive way, replacing "prodigious" with "remarkable" and "thing" with "creation".

FAQs

How can I use "prodigious thing" in a sentence?

You can use "prodigious thing" to describe something remarkably large or significant, like "Jim Cooper's mountain of coal is a "prodigious thing" to behold."

What are some alternatives to saying "prodigious thing"?

Alternatives include "remarkable phenomenon", "extraordinary occurrence", or "immense object", depending on the specific context.

Is "prodigious thing" too formal for casual conversation?

While grammatically correct, "prodigious thing" might sound overly formal in everyday conversation. Simpler alternatives like "huge thing" or "massive thing" may be more appropriate.

What does it mean when something is described as a "prodigious thing"?

It means the thing in question is remarkably or impressively large, abundant, or intense. The emphasis is on the exceptional scale or degree.