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If you abridge a book or play, you make it shorter by making cuts to the original.
When something attenuates, it lessens in size or intensity; it becomes thin or weakened.
Attrition is the process of gradually decreasing the strength of something—such as an army or workforce—by continually weakening it or decreasing it in size.
To augment something is to increase its value or effectiveness by adding something to it.
Something colossal is extremely big, gigantic, or huge.
A copious amount of something is a very large amount of it.
If something, such as a sound, is undergoing a crescendo, it is getting louder and louder or increasing in intensity and is about to reach its peak strength.
A diminution of something is a reduction in the size, number, or importance of it.
Something expansive has a wide scope or is large in area.
If something is formidable, it is impressive in size, power, or skill; therefore, it can make you feel frightened, alarmed, or in awe because it is so powerful or difficult to deal with.
A granule is a small particle or tiny grain of something.
Something that is imperceptible is either impossible to be perceived by the mind or is very difficult to perceive.
Something that is inconspicuous does not attract attention and is not easily seen or noticed because it is small or ordinary.
Something infinitesimal is so extremely small or minute that it is very hard to measure it.
A leviathan is something that is very large, powerful, difficult to control, and rather frightening.
A macrocosm is a large, complex, and organized system or structure that is made of many small parts that form one unit, such as a society or the universe.
A microcosm is a small group, place, or activity that has all the same qualities as a much larger one; therefore, it seems like a smaller version of it.
Something minuscule is extremely small in size or amount.
An organization or system that is a monolith is extremely large; additionally, it is unwilling or very slow to change or adopt something new.
Something that is prodigious is very large, impressive, or great.
Something tenuous is thin, weak, and unconvincing.
Someone who is unassuming is not boastful or arrogant; rather, they are modest or humble.
If someone acts in an unobtrusive way, their actions are not easily noticed and do not stand out in any way.
Something that is voluminous is long, large, or vast in size.
If something—such as power, influence, or feeling—wanes, it gradually becomes weaker or less important, often so much so that it eventually disappears.
Adj.
gargantuan
gahr-GAN-choo-uhn
Context
We had lunch at our favorite Texas diner where they serve the hugest portions or most gargantuan plates of food you’ve ever seen! My husband and I and our three children usually share a single meal, and we often find that we still can’t finish it because it is so gargantuan or enormous. The milkshakes are fantastic but also of sizable quantity—drinking one all by oneself may very well lead to a gargantuan, very large stomachache!
Quiz:Try again!
What is needed to move a gargantuan object?
A lot of strong people willing to lift such a huge object.
A careful plan to avoid breaking such a fragile object.
Safety gear to protect everyone from such a dangerous object.
Manta Ray Garage I caught such a gargantuan Manta Ray the other day that it wouldn't fit in my three-car garage!
Examples
His gargantuan new sculptures at Ace are imposing and handsome, and they exude the air of high-cost fabrication and installation, all of which can be impressive.
—
The New York Times
In the case of [Davis] Love it has brought a big house, a big boat and a little jet, which he leases. In the case of [Greg] Norman it has brought a gargantuan house, a gargantuan boat and a gargantuan plane, which he owns.
—
Sports Illustrated
The word gargantuan comes from the huge giant “Gargantua” in the book Gargantua and Pantagruel by the French author Francois Rabelais.
Word Theater
Time Bandits A simply gargantuan giant, even as giants go!
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
