very enormous

USAGE SUMMARY

"very enormous" is not correct or usable in written English.
It is an example of a redundant expression (two words that mean the same thing) and so should not be used. To use an appropriate phrase, you could say "enormous" or "very large." For example: The ship I saw was absolutely enormous. or The ship I saw was very large.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

(He concluded, of course, by saying in interpreterese, "I consider that you have a very enormous talent," and offering to take Yo-Yo on as a student).

The New York Times - Arts

He and his friends used to create characters for themselves - his would change every week, but he was known for his "very, very enormous trousers".

The Guardian - Arts

And, as a source very close to Trump made plain, "If it goes from a fixed amount to what could be a very enormous amount — even a small percentage of two and a half billion dollars or whatever is a lot of money — we're talking about very huge things.

The New Yorker

Listen, it's no big deal or anything (it is; it is a very enormous deal), but I got a verified blue tick on Twitter last week.

Vice

Its impact on public health and economy is becoming very enormous.

British Journal of Ophthalmology

Flashy ads are indicative of an auction that will be high priced, may have reserves (a set price on an item), and usually a very enormous crowd.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"He's asking for a very special, enormous house".

The New York Times

It is a very big enormous software program that is just doing what it is doing — just counting and so on.

The New Yorker

TV executives who offer up horror series "can count on, at the very least, enormous promotion at" the two comic shows, he added, in addition to comments by viewers and fans on social media like Facebook and Twitter.

The New York Times

Cellular composition of TRF2 Δ/Δ -K5-Cre p53 −/− skin showed very few enormous cells, which presented giant nuclei and dense chromatin, a strong indication of the occurrence of massive endoreduplication (blue arrow heads in Fig. 4A).

Aging Cell

He was enormous, very overweight.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "very enormous" in formal writing. Opt for a single, strong adjective like "enormous", "immense", or "vast" for greater impact.

Common error

Using "very enormous" is redundant because "enormous" already implies a high degree of size. Using both words weakens your writing. Choose one or the other.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very enormous" functions as an adjectival phrase, intended to modify a noun by describing its size. However, Ludwig AI indicates it is grammatically incorrect due to redundancy, as "enormous" already signifies a great size.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

29%

Wiki

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "very enormous" is understandable, Ludwig AI and grammatical convention advise against its use. The word "enormous" already implies a great size, making the addition of "very" redundant. Although examples can be found in various sources, including news and media, it's best to opt for stronger, single-word adjectives like "enormous", "immense", or "vast" for a more impactful and grammatically correct expression. Consider alternatives such as "extremely large" or "incredibly huge" if you want to emphasize the size further.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely large

Replaces "enormous" with the more general term "large" while keeping the intensifier "extremely".

incredibly huge

Substitutes both "very" and "enormous" with synonyms, resulting in a slightly different tone.

exceptionally big

Uses "big" as a more basic synonym for "enormous" and "exceptionally" to intensify the meaning.

remarkably vast

Replaces "enormous" with "vast", suggesting a great expanse, and uses "remarkably" as an intensifier.

considerably massive

Emphasizes the weight and scale using "massive", intensified by "considerably".

particularly immense

Replaces "enormous" with "immense" and uses "particularly" for emphasis.

absolutely gigantic

Uses "gigantic" to denote great size and "absolutely" as an intensifier.

really substantial

Focuses on the significant quantity or impact using "substantial" and intensifies with "really".

tremendously great

Emphasizes the positive impact or scale with "great", intensified by "tremendously".

unusually colossal

Describes something as remarkably large or important using "colossal" and "unusually" as its intensifier.

FAQs

Is "very enormous" grammatically correct?

No, "very enormous" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The word "enormous" already implies a great size, so adding "very" is redundant. It's better to use just "enormous" or consider alternative phrases like "extremely large".

What are some alternatives to "very enormous"?

Instead of "very enormous", you can use "immense", "vast", "gigantic", or "extremely large". The best choice depends on the specific context.

When is it acceptable to use "very enormous"?

While not grammatically preferred, "very enormous" might be used in informal speech or creative writing to emphasize a point, but it's generally better to avoid it in formal contexts. Alternatives like "exceptionally big" are more appropriate.

How can I emphasize size without using "very enormous"?

To emphasize size, use a strong adjective on its own, such as "enormous". You could also use adverbs like "absolutely" or "incredibly" with adjectives like "large" or "huge", such as "absolutely huge" or "incredibly large".