English Reference

Word

whopper

Phoneticswhop·per

US/ˈhwɑpɝ/

UK/wˈɒpɐ/

Definition

n. a very large or impressive example of something, like a lie, a meal, or a fish. It can also mean a person who is very tall or strong.

n. an exceptionally large or impressive instance of something, such as a falsehood, a meal, or a catch. Often used to describe a person of considerable size or strength.

Examples

“He told a whopper of a lie to get out of trouble.”

“The fisherman showed off a whopper of a bass he had caught in the lake.”

“The politician's latest claim was a whopper that even his most loyal supporters found difficult to swallow, given the lack of any supporting evidence.”

Examples

simple

“He told a whopper of a lie to get out of trouble.”

contextual

“The fisherman showed off a whopper of a bass he had caught in the lake.”

complex

“The politician's latest claim was a whopper that even his most loyal supporters found difficult to swallow, given the lack of any supporting evidence.”

Real-World Examples

“Photograph: Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock Ant wore glasses: thick-lensed, National Health whoppers.”
The Guardian · 26 Aug 2026

Etymology

From whop + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

whopperNounwhoppingAdjective

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/whopper

English Reference