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by and large

adverb

Definition of by and large

: on the whole : in general
Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about by and large

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Did You Know?

By and large is originally a sailing term meaning "alternately close-hauled and not close-hauled." A ship that is sailing "close-hauled" is sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind). The "by" part of the phrase means "close-hauled." (This "by" also appears in the term full and by, meaning "sailing with all sails full and close to the wind as possible.") "Large," by contrast, refers to a point of sail in which the wind is hitting the boat "abaft the beam," or behind the boat's widest point. A 1669 example of a variant spelling of "by and large" gives us a sense of the range implied: "Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge" (S. Sturmy, Mariners Magazine). The suggestion of a wide range carries over into the term's "in general" sense.

Examples of by and large in a Sentence

by and large, that information is accurate

Recent Examples on the Web

 The sustainable products were, by and large, between 5% and 7% more expensive. — Yossi Sheffi, The Conversation, "Removing mini-shampoos from hotel rooms won’t save the environment," 23 Aug. 2019 The people in the Pew study, by and large, accept the conclusions of medicine, of basic physics, of organic chemistry. — Wired, "Americans Trust Scientists, Until Politics Gets in the Way," 2 Aug. 2019 But by and large, as the vaccine has been given out, it has mostly been accepted. — Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, "Why the WHO’s Emergency Declaration for Ebola Is a Big Deal," 23 July 2019 But by and large, very few remakes, other than Gus Van Sant’s shot-by-shot reproduction of Psycho, have adhered as closely to their original versions as this one does. — Joey Nolfi, EW.com, "Critics softly purr in favor of 'unnecessary' but 'gorgeous' Lion King remake," 11 July 2019 Reviewing the substance of these responses, by and large, carriers’ plans for these services are far from clear. — Russell Brandom, The Verge, "FCC commissioner blasts carriers for failure to fight robocalls," 11 July 2019 Tens of thousands of international tourists visit the Khumbu Valley each year, and by and large, Namche's residents have prospered. — Freddie Wilkinson, National Geographic, "He’s the last surviving member of the first expedition to summit Everest," 17 June 2019 But by and large, Alabama’s recycling wasn’t going to China in the first place. — Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al.com, "Does all your recycling just go to a landfill? Nope," 20 June 2019 Chuck Fletcher took over a team in shambles, rebuilt it through the draft, then drained that feeder pool with a series of go-for-it deadline deals that by and large did not pan out and pushed Minnesota back to the brink of the cap. — Sam Donnellon, https://www.inquirer.com, "Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher heads into NHL draft and free agency with something to prove | Sam Donnellon," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'by and large.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of by and large

1707, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on by and large

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with by and large

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for by and large

Nglish: Translation of by and large for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of by and large for Arabic Speakers

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