Tall vs. Big — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 13, 2024
Tall generally refers to height, often used for objects or individuals with significant vertical extension, while Big denotes overall size, including width, height, and volume.
Difference Between Tall and Big
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Tall is primarily used to describe the height of an entity, suggesting a considerable distance from the base to the top. It's often applied to people, trees, buildings, and other objects where height is a notable characteristic. Big, on the other hand, refers to the overall size or mass of an object or individual, encompassing not just height but also width, depth, and volume. It implies a significant dimension or extent in one or more directions.
While a tall object or person may not necessarily be big in terms of overall mass or volume, a big entity is often large in multiple dimensions, including height, width, and depth, suggesting a substantial presence or form.
The use of tall is typically confined to descriptions of vertical dimensions, making it less applicable to objects or entities that are notable for their breadth or depth rather than their height. In contrast, big is a more versatile term that can apply to a wide range of entities, including those that are tall, wide, heavy, or voluminous, making it a more general descriptor of size.
Comparison Chart
Primary Reference
Height or vertical extension.
Overall size, including width, height, depth, and volume.
Common Usage
People, trees, buildings.
Objects, animals, areas.
ADVERTISEMENT
Implication
Significant vertical measurement.
Substantial size in one or more dimensions.
Limitation
Less applicable to breadth or depth.
More general, not limited to a single dimension.
Perceived Dimension
Mainly vertical.
Multiple dimensions (e.g., width, depth, volume).
Compare with Definitions
Tall
Describing a person with notable height.
He is taller than most of his friends.
Big
Describing objects with considerable size.
They moved a big sofa into the living room.
Tall
Referring to buildings with significant height.
The city's skyline is dominated by tall skyscrapers.
Big
Describing areas with extensive space.
Texas is known for its big open spaces.
Tall
Describing trees that reach considerable heights.
The forest was filled with tall pine trees.
Big
Referring to something with substantial mass or volume.
The big boulder blocked the path.
Tall
Used in comparisons of vertical dimensions.
The mountain's tall peak stood out in the range.
Big
Referring to animals that are large in size.
Elephants are among the biggest land animals.
Tall
Any structure with a significant vertical extension.
The tall tower was visible from miles away.
Big
Used to describe the general size of an entity.
He's looking for a big house for his family.
Tall
Of great or more than average height, especially (with reference to an object) relative to width
A tall, broad-shouldered man
A tall glass of iced tea
Big
Of considerable size or extent
Big staff cuts
Big buildings
Her big hazel eyes
Tall
Having greater than ordinary height
A tall woman.
Big
Of considerable importance or seriousness
It's a big decision
His biggest problem is money
He made a big mistake
Tall
Having considerable height, especially in relation to width; lofty
Tall trees.
Big
Generous
‘I'm inclined to take pity on you.’ ‘That's big of you!’
Tall
Having a specified height
A plant three feet tall.
Big
Praise or recommend something highly
The record's been on the streets a while now, but it's still worth bigging up
Tall
(Informal) Fanciful or exaggerated; boastful
Tall tales of heroic exploits.
Big
The major league in a professional sport
The day he made it to the bigs, he forgot every minor league ballpark he ever played in
Tall
Impressively great or difficult
A tall order to fill.
Big
Of considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude, or extent; large.
Tall
(Obsolete) Excellent; fine.
Big
Having great strength or force
A big wind.
In a big rage.
Tall
With proud bearing; straight
Stand tall.
Big
Of great significance; momentous
A big decision.
A big victory.
Tall
(of a person) Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
Being tall is an advantage in basketball.
Big
Mature or grown-up
Big enough to take the bus by herself.
Tall
(of a building, etc.) Having its top a long way up; having a great vertical (and often greater than horizontal) extent; high.
Big
Older or eldest. Used especially of a sibling
My big brother is leaving for college next week.
Tall
(of a story) Hard to believe, such as a tall story or a tall tale.
Big
Filled up; brimming over
Felt big with love.
Tall
Smaller than grande, usually 8 ounces (~ 230 ml).
Big
Bountiful; generous
Had a big heart.
Tall
(obsolete) Obsequious; obedient.
Big
Pregnant
Big with child.
Tall
(obsolete) Seemly; suitable; fitting, becoming, comely; attractive, handsome.
Big
Having or exercising considerable authority, control, or influence
A big official.
A big chief.
Tall
(obsolete) Bold; brave; courageous; valiant.
Big
Conspicuous in position, wealth, or importance; prominent
A big figure in the peace movement.
Tall
(archaic) Fine; proper; admirable; great; excellent.
Big
Loud and firm; resounding
A big voice.
Tall
Someone or something that is tall.
Big
(Informal) Widely liked, used, or practiced; popular
"The Minneapolis indie-rock band was big in the blogosphere, beloved by hipsters, and unknown to pretty much everyone else" (Robert Levine).
Tall
A clothing size for taller people.
Do you have this in a tall?
Big
(Informal) Self-important; cocky
You're too big for your own good.
Tall
A tall serving of a drink, especially one from Starbucks, which contains 12 ounces.
Big
In a pretentious or boastful way
Talked big about the new job.
Tall
High in stature; having a considerable, or an unusual, extension upward; long and comparatively slender; having the diameter or lateral extent small in proportion to the height; as, a tall person, tree, or mast.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall.
Big
With considerable success
Made it big with their recent best-selling album.
Tall
Brave; bold; courageous.
As tall a trenchermanAs e'er demolished a pye fortification.
His companions, being almost in despair of victory, were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley, which came to succors with three thousand tall men.
Big
In a thorough or unmistakable way; emphatically
Failed big at the box office.
Tall
Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive.
Big
Of great size, large.
Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot.
Tall
Great in vertical dimension; high in stature;
Tall people
Tall buildings
Tall trees
Tall ships
Big
(informal) Fat.
Gosh, she is big!
Tall
Lofty in style;
He engages in so much tall talk, one never really realizes what he is saying
Big
Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce.
She was big with child.
Tall
Impressively difficult;
A tall order
Big
(informal) Well-endowed, possessing large breasts in the case of a woman or a large penis in the case of a man.
Whoa, Nadia has gotten pretty big since she hit puberty.
Tall
Too improbable to admit of belief;
A tall story
Big
(informal) Adult; (of a child) older.
Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen.
We were just playing, and then some big kids came and chased us away.
She did it all on her own like a big girl.
Big
Old, mature. Used to imply that somebody is too old for something, or acting immaturely.
Big
.informal Mature, conscientious, principled; generous.
That's very big of you; thank you!
I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn't help myself.
Big
(informal) Important or significant.
What's so big about that? I do it all the time.
Big
Popular.
That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers.
Big
(of a city) Populous.
Big
(informal) Used as an intensifier, especially of negative-valence nouns
You are a big liar.
Why are you in such a big hurry?
Big
Operating on a large scale, especially if therefore having undue or sinister influence.
There were concerns about the ethics of big pharma.
Big money
Big Tech, Big Steel (large or influential tech or steel companies)
Big Science (science performed by large terms, of large scope, with government or corporate funding)
Big
Enthusiastic (about).
I'm not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won't stop you.
Big
In a loud manner.
Big
In a boasting manner.
He's always talking big, but he never delivers.
Big
In a large amount or to a large extent.
He won big betting on the croquet championship.
Big
On a large scale, expansively.
You've got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing.
Big
Hard.
He hit him big and the guy just crumpled.
Big
An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name.
Big
(in the plural) The big leagues, big time.
Big
(university slang) A initiated member of a sorority who acts as a mentor to a new member (the little).
Big
(BDSM) The participant in ageplay who acts out the older role.
Big
One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley.
Big
To inhabit; occupy.
Big
To locate oneself.
Big
To build; erect; fashion.
Big
To dwell; have a dwelling.
Big
Having largeness of size; of much bulk or magnitude; of great size; large.
Big
Great with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce; - often figuratively.
[Day] big with the fate of Cato and of Rome.
Big
Having greatness, fullness, importance, inflation, distention, etc., whether in a good or a bad sense; as, a big heart; a big voice; big looks; to look big. As applied to looks, it indicates haughtiness or pride.
God hath not in heaven a bigger argument.
I talked big to them at first.
Big
Barley, especially the hardy four-rowed kind.
"Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg."
Big
To build.
Big
Above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent;
A large city
Set out for the big city
A large sum
A big (or large) barn
A large family
Big businesses
A big expenditure
A large number of newspapers
A big group of scientists
Large areas of the world
Big
Significant;
Graduation was a big day in his life
Big
Of very great significance;
Deciding to drop the atom bomb was a very big decision
A momentous event
Big
Conspicuous in position or importance;
A big figure in the movement
Big man on campus
He's very large in financial circles
A prominent citizen
Big
Very intense;
A bad headache
In a big rage
Had a big (or bad) shock
A bad earthquake
A bad storm
Big
Loud and firm;
A big voice
Big bold piano sounds
Big
Prodigious;
Big spender
Big eater
Heavy investor
Big
(of animals) fully developed;
An adult animal
A grown woman
Big
Marked by intense physical force;
A big wind
Big
Feeling self-importance;
Too big for his britches
Had a swelled head
He was swelled with pride
Big
Older brother or sister;
Big sister
Big
Exhibiting self-importance;
Big talk
Big
Generous and understanding and tolerant;
A heart big enough to hold no grudges
That's very big of you to be so forgiving
A large and generous spirit
A large heart
Magnanimous toward his enemies
Big
Given or giving freely;
Was a big tipper
The bounteous goodness of God
Bountiful compliments
A freehanded host
A handsome allowance
Saturday's child is loving and giving
A liberal backer of the arts
A munificent gift
Her fond and openhanded grandfather
Big
In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child
Big
Extremely well;
His performance went over big
Big
In a boastful manner;
He talked big all evening
Big
On a grand scale;
Think big
Big
In a major way;
The play failed big at the box office
Common Curiosities
Can "tall" apply to non-physical entities?
Metaphorically, yes, like describing a tall tale, but it's less common.
Can a person be described as both tall and big?
Yes, if they have considerable height and overall size.
Can a mountain be described as big?
Yes, referring to its overall mass, volume, or area.
Is it common to use "big" for abstract concepts?
Yes, like a big idea, where it denotes significance rather than physical size.
What makes an object big rather than just tall?
Its substantial size in multiple dimensions, not just height.
What's the difference in using tall and big for plants?
"Tall" focuses on their height, while "big" might refer to overall size, including bushiness or canopy spread.
How do children's perceptions of tall and big differ?
Children might initially perceive "big" as simply meaning "larger-than-normal," while "tall" is more specifically related to height.
Can landscapes be tall?
Features within landscapes, like cliffs, can be tall, but landscapes are typically described as big.
Is it correct to describe a building as big?
Yes, especially if it's large in dimensions other than just height.
Is tallness always relative to other objects?
Often, but something can be inherently tall based on typical measurements.
Does big imply heaviness?
Often, but not always; it can refer to volume or area without significant mass.
How do industries use the terms tall and big differently?
For example, in fashion, "tall" sizes refer to height, while "big" sizes refer to larger overall dimensions.
Can vehicles be described as tall?
Yes, especially for those with notable height, like SUVs or trucks, compared to their length.
Can the use of tall and big vary by region?
Yes, cultural and linguistic differences can influence the perception and usage of these terms.
Can the preference for using tall or big change over time?
Yes, as language evolves, the nuances and preferences for these terms can shift in popular usage.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Categorize vs. Classify
Next Comparison
From vs. OfAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
