noun
enormity
The overwhelming scale or seriousness of something.
The enormity of the task finally became clear.
Etymology
The older word concerns exceeding an ordinary rule or measure. The scale sense emphasizes how far something exceeds normal experience, often with a strong sense of gravity.
More examples
- She struggled to grasp the enormity of the loss.
- The report conveyed the enormity of the challenge.
- He paused at the enormity of what had happened.
Forms
enormity · more enormity · most enormity
Similar words
- magnitude
- Magnitude neutrally measures scale; enormity often adds a sense of overwhelming seriousness.
- immensity
- Immensity stresses great extent; enormity can stress the weight or gravity of an event.