Definition of prodigiousnext
1
2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word prodigious different from other adjectives like it?

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).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

When is monstrous a more appropriate choice than prodigious?

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 monstrous waste of the project

When would stupendous be a good substitute for prodigious?

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.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

When might tremendous be a better fit than prodigious?

While the synonyms tremendous and prodigious are close in meaning, tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prodigious How would this prodigious author of eighteen other novels—among them the most adventuresome in the Latin American literary canon—conclude his career? — Ariel Dorfman, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026 Since low-energy X-rays and ultraviolet light are next to each other on the electromagnetic spectrum, Muhibullah and his team suspect that the low-energy X-rays are spillover from objects emitting prodigious amounts of ultraviolet. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Now, as the profile at the position has begun to shift, Judge’s prodigious power from the outfield is just one more huge element that divides him from the rest of the sport. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Kimi Antonelli’s prodigious success is in part the product of Mercedes’ system for identifying and developing young talent, The Athletic writes. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prodigious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodigious
Adjective
  • There is a wonderful museum in the park that interactively showcases the landscape and cultural history of the Chacabuco Valley as well as this part of the region's ecological loss and path to recovery.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Howell and Sloyan are quite wonderful in these moments, and Howell is exceptional throughout.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Both execs are well-liked and respected, and both boast tremendous domains, consisting of both studios and networks.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Diamonds are crystallized under tremendous pressure and heat deep inside the Earth and then thrust to the surface through volcanic activity before they’re scattered by water or wind.
    — LAURA TURBAY, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, had recently disclosed astonishing details about how its artificial intelligence agents had broken out of their systems, hacked into another company and tried to cover their tracks.
    — Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond attempting to smooth the industry’s many ruffled feathers, Hollywood’s newest mogul must now also wrestle down an astonishing $80 billion in debt accrued as a result of this highly leveraged merger.
    — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Questions remain over how the Premier League could create competitive balance, given the vast differences in spending ability between its biggest clubs and smaller challengers.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Halzen had the idea to turn the vast Antarctic ice into such a detector.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • This is amazing because everyone gets great views and natural light.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This is him in 2014 when a lot of people were like, ‘This guy is amazing.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • That creates an enormous range of possible eclipse trips, from the Mediterranean coast and the mountains of southern Spain to historic cities, archaeological sites and desert landscapes across North Africa.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • PewDiePie argues that users do not necessarily need an enormous model for everyday agentic tasks.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The Broncos pulled off three miraculous trick plays in the final seconds of regulation and overtime to stun legendary running back Adrian Peterson and the powerhouse Sooners.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … BOLT FROM ABOVE — Couple recounts 'miraculous' rescue after surviving harrowing lightning strike during evening stroll.
    — , FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Thorton had the first two-touchdown game of his career and made the huge catch to set up the go-ahead touchdown before the injury.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This deprived the treasurers of huge assets that otherwise could have been invested to generate billions of dollars for the pensions — a gap present-day taxpayers must fill.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Prodigious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodigious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!