# vast

/ˈvæst/ (US) · /vˈɑːst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vast
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. extremely large in area

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- The desert was a vast ocean of sand that seemed to go on forever.
- The explorers were overwhelmed by the vast expanse of the Siberian tundra, where the horizon remained unbroken for hundreds of miles.

### 2. great in amount or degree

adjective · CEFR B2

very great in size, amount, or importance.

For teachers: very great in number, quantity, amount, or degree.

- The project will cost a vast amount of money to complete.
- The study revealed a vast difference in the quality of healthcare available to urban and rural populations.

### 3. a boundless space

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a huge, empty space that has no visible limits.

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

- The stars shone brightly in the dark vast of the night sky.
- The poet gazed into the starry vast, contemplating the insignificance of human life against the scale of the universe.

## Examples

- The desert is a vast, empty place.
- The internet contains a vast amount of information on almost every topic imaginable.
- From the summit, the hikers looked out over a vast expanse of untouched forest that stretched toward the horizon in every direction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.