prodigious
adjective
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Prodigious, monstrous, tremendous, and stupendous all mean extremely impressive. Prodigious suggests marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something that is felt as going far beyond a previous maximum of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size ("acrobats performing prodigious aerial feats"). Monstrous implies a departure from the normal in size, form, or character ("a monstrous billboard"); it can also suggest that someone or something is ugly, cruel, or vicious ("a monstrous criminal"; "a monstrous crime"). Tremendous and stupendous both imply a power, the former to terrify or awe ("the singer has tremendous talent"), the latter to stun or astound ("the young cast gave a stupendous performance"). Prodigious and the related noun prodigy derive from the Latin prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster"; at one time, both words were used in English to refer to portents, or omens, but these senses are now considered obsolete.
Synonyms
- amazing
- astonishing
- astounding
- awesome
- awful
- eye-opening
- fabulous
- marvelous
- marvellous
- miraculous
- portentous
- staggering
- stunning
- stupendous
- sublime
- surprising
- wonderful
- wondrous
Example Sentences
Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2003 She had what was known in those days as a hollow leg, meaning she was able to drink prodigious amounts of liquor without getting drunk, or so she thought. Vanity Fair, July 2000 … Isaac [Newton] was allowed to resume at Grantham and go on to Cambridge, where … he was to remain for nearly thirty-five secluded, prodigious years. John Updike, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 1998 stage magicians performing prodigious feats for rapt audiences a prodigious supply of canned food kept in the basement for emergencies Kelyn Soong, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The Danish auteur has built a prodigious career with work featuring provocative moral premises at their core. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2022 But a sports sedan is a whole lot more exciting than a luxury SUV, and the 522-hp e-tron GT wowed us with its low-slung shape, accurate steering, and prodigious thrust. Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2022 Dunn’s operations made prodigious returns, selling seven oil fields to Linn Energy and BreitBurn Energy between 2010 and 2013. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 Demings, a former police chief and a prodigious political fundraiser, has a chance to become Florida’s first Black female senator. Adriana Gomez Licon, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 Over her two terms, Tlaib has proven herself to be a prodigious fundraiser, tireless campaigner and committed progressive. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 3 Aug. 2022 While inside those memories, Eleven comes in contact with other test subjects like the prodigious and vicious Two. Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 31 May 2022 From a distance approximating one of her prodigious drives, Michelle Wie West caught a glimpse of her infant daughter in the arms of her mother, who was standing on a hotel balcony. New York Times, 3 June 2021 See More Word History
see prodigy
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b
prodigious
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- astonishing
- wonderful
- amazing
- miraculous
- marvellous
- incredible
- marvelous
- surprising
- staggering
- sublime
- stupendous
- extraordinary
- stunning
- impressive
- remarkable
- wondrous
- astounding
- awesome
- spectacular
- fabulous
- portentous
- unusual
- outstanding
- awful
- inconceivable
- unbelievable
- phenomenal
- fascinating
- incomprehensible
- unimaginable
- uncommon
- unique
- interesting
- striking
- rare
- notable
- eye-opening
- unthinkable
- exciting
- singular
- conspicuous
- unwonted
- enchanting
- attracting
- noticeable
- sensational
- charming
- attractive
- smashing
- mind-boggling
- enlivening
- alluring
- bewitching
- invigorating
- entertaining
- enthralling
- enlightening
- mind-blowing
- captivating
- galvanizing
- beguiling
- mind-bending
- energizing
- animating
- stimulating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unimpressive
- unremarkable
- tedious
- typical
- customary
- ordinary
- usual
- wearisome
- common
- normal
- tiring
- unexceptional
- monotonous
- weary
- uninspiring
- wearying
- uninteresting
- dull
- boring
- mundane
- draining
- exhausting
- uninspired
- fatiguing
- debilitating
- jading
- discouraging
- enervating
- dispiriting
- disheartening
- wearing
- demoralizing
- enfeebling
Synonyms & Similar Words
- tremendous
- enormous
- vast
- huge
- gigantic
- massive
- colossal
- immense
- giant
- mammoth
- astronomical
- monumental
- titanic
- monstrous
- mighty
- sizable
- bumper
- astronomic
- mountainous
- gargantuan
- great
- big
- monster
- herculean
- humongous
- oceanic
- considerable
- heroic
- cosmic
- elephantine
- super
- mega
- grand
- substantial
- formidable
- oversize
- heroical
- planetary
- cyclopean
- whopping
- humungous
- leviathan
- galactic
- staggering
- walloping
- good
- gigantesque
- whacking
- extensive
- majestic
- vasty
- handsome
- Brobdingnagian
- pharaonic
- jumbo
- oversized
- voluminous
- supersized
- cosmical
- stupendous
- outsize
- super-duper
- major
- goodly
- king-sized
- hefty
- supersize
- infinite
- hulking
- imposing
- gross
- outsized
- overwhelming
- king-size
- sizeable
- tidy
- overgrown
- Himalayan
- grandiose
- bulky
- lofty
- towering
- immeasurable
- largish
- boundless
- cavernous
- august
- monolithic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- diminutive
- tiny
- minuscule
- microscopic
- infinitesimal
- microscopical
- miniature
- small
- micro
- puny
- wee
- pygmy
- little bitty
- teeny
- bitty
- pocket
- teensy
- midget
- smallish
- little
- bantam
- undersized
- minute
- petite
- undersize
- microminiature
- mini
- teeny-weeny
- Lilliputian
- teensy-weensy
- dwarfish
- dinky
- pint-sized
- pint-size
- half-pint
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of prodigious are monstrous, stupendous, and tremendous. While all these words mean "extremely impressive," prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).
The meanings of monstrous and prodigious largely overlap; however, monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.
The words stupendous and prodigious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.
While the synonyms tremendous and prodigious are close in meaning, tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.