Definition of volumenext
1
2
as in amount
a given or particular mass or aggregate of matter produces great volumes of work each day

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in capacity
the largest number or amount that something can hold state the barrel's volume in terms of gallons

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word volume different from other nouns like it?

The words bulk and mass are common synonyms of volume. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

When can bulk be used instead of volume?

The meanings of bulk and volume largely overlap; however, bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

When might mass be a better fit than volume?

The words mass and volume are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

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 volume That’s according to research published this week in Evolution, which offers baseline volume measurements for more than 100 bird species. — Meghan Bartels, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026 This beautiful retrospective volume shows a poet developing steadily, from the graceful descriptions and encoded trauma of the poems from the 1990s through the loosening music and political engagement of the books of the last ten years. — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 Practices inside one group can have different practice management systems, specialties, scheduling rules, insurance participation, call volumes, provider preferences and emergency protocols. — Manjot Pal, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Higher oil prices have largely offset lower export volumes, lifting revenue above prewar estimates, but spending is set to rise faster. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for volume
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volume
Noun
  • Prime Big Deal Days 2026 is here and there are tons of deals to take advantage of.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Dry air, tons of sunshine and light winds will set up a gorgeous fall day.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Enhanced oil recovery uses techniques such as carbon dioxide injection to increase the amount of crude oil produced from an oil field.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Garon notes that most people who bet on sports do so infrequently and with small amounts of money.
    — Shae Lake, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There's a fittingly witchy gift shop filled with all sorts of tchotchkes and collectibles, including spell books, tarot cards, cups for reading tea leaves, and a selection of history books.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Brower and her partner, Aspen Simone, dug into books about pigeon behavior and their history with humans.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • We’ve been told that Ultraviolette is preparing for considerably greater production volumes for now, with the company having announced plans for a new manufacturing facility in India with an eventual capacity of up to 500,000 bikes a year.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
  • No, the dunks and 3s and assists didn't count in any official capacity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And some manage the difficult trick of tasting like fall without giving off loads of scented-candle energy.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • PlusAI uses sand to simulate the loads its trailers must carry to support research and development testing, as carrying the material closely mimics real freight conditions.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There was also a bottle of whiskey, six bottles of Coca-Cola and smelling salts of an unspecified quantity.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • When complete, these new lines will transport vast quantities of copper, a metal used in solar panels, heat pumps, batteries, and electric vehicles.
    — Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The work earned Barber the admiration of President Bill Clinton and became a best-seller in paperback following the 9/11 attacks.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Lion Hearts, the third novel in his Essex Dogs trilogy, a thriller series set in 14th-century France and England, is now in paperback.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Israeli strikes in northern and southern Gaza killed three Palestinians and wounded at least a dozen others, according to health officials at Gaza hospitals.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • What started as a few dozen brand-name drugs now includes a catalog of more than 800 brand-name and generic medications, offering discounts on everything from popular weight loss drugs to treatments for cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
    — Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on volume

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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