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vast

adj. · n.
US //ˈvæst// UK //vˈɑːst// vast
  1. 1 extremely large in area (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    very large or wide, covering a huge amount of space.

    of very great extent or area; immense in physical space.

    Example

    The desert was a vast ocean of sand that seemed to go on forever.

    Example

    The explorers were overwhelmed by the vast expanse of the Siberian tundra, where the horizon remained unbroken for hundreds of miles.
  2. 2 great in amount or degree (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    very great in size, amount, or importance.

    very great in number, quantity, amount, or degree.

    Example

    The project will cost a vast amount of money to complete.

    Example

    The study revealed a vast difference in the quality of healthcare available to urban and rural populations.
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  1. 3 a boundless space (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    a huge, empty space that has no visible limits.

    an immense or boundless space or expanse. Often used with 'the'.

    Example

    The stars shone brightly in the dark vast of the night sky.

    Example

    The poet gazed into the starry vast, contemplating the insignificance of human life against the scale of the universe.
Idioms1 entry

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