great deal
great deal — idiom
1. a large amount or quantity of something, often more than what is usual or expect
a large amount or quantity of something, often more than what is usual or expected
Ayana spent a great deal of time preparing for the job interview.
a great deal of + uncountable noun (time)
Building the new bridge across the Han River required a great deal of money and effort.
Bilal has a great deal of respect for his grandfather, who built the family home with his own hands.
a great deal of + abstract noun (respect)
Nkechi received a great deal of support from her family during the move.
- a great deal of time
- a great deal of money
- a great deal of effort
- a great deal of attention
- a lot of
more informal; can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns
- a large amount of
slightly more formal than 'a great deal of'
Grammar Patterns
a great deal of + uncountable noun
Usage Note
Followed by 'of' and an uncountable noun. You cannot use it with countable nouns — 'a great deal of books' is incorrect.
Common Mistakes
2. used before a comparative adjective or adverb to show that the difference betwee
used before a comparative adjective or adverb to show that the difference between two things is very large, or that a situation has changed a great amount
The second draft of Yara's research paper was a great deal better than the first one.
a great deal + comparative adjective (better)
Hugo felt a great deal more confident after the practice session.
The overnight low was a great deal colder than the weather report had predicted.
a great deal + comparative adjective (colder)
Sari's French improved a great deal after she spent the summer in Lyon.
- a great deal better
- a great deal more
- a great deal worse
- much
simpler and more common in everyday speech
- considerably
more formal, often found in written English
Grammar Patterns
a great deal + comparative adjective/adverb
Usage Note
Used before comparative forms such as better, more, worse, or less. Often appears in sentences that compare two people, things, or situations.
3. used after a verb to say that something happens many times, or that someone does
used after a verb to say that something happens many times, or that someone does something for long periods
Marco travels a great deal for his work as a sales manager.
verb + a great deal = very often
Brooke used to read a great deal during summer afternoons at her grandmother's house in Penang.
We don't see Tuan a great deal these days — he moved to another city.
Ramón practised the piano a great deal before the school concert.
- travel a great deal
- read a great deal
- see someone a great deal
Grammar Patterns
verb + a great deal
Usage Note
Used after a verb to describe how often something happens. Interchangeable with 'a lot' in most everyday contexts.
4. used before an adjective or past participle to mean 'to a very great degree' or
used before an adjective or past participle to mean 'to a very great degree' or 'extremely'
Tariq was a great deal relieved when the doctor said the lump was harmless.
a great deal + past participle (relieved)
The young violinist was a great deal encouraged by the standing ovation she received.
Kwame felt a great deal troubled by what the auditor had found in the accounts.
Hanna was a great deal surprised when she opened the envelope and found an invitation to the palace.
- a great deal admired
- a great deal surprised
- a great deal encouraged
Grammar Patterns
a great deal + past participle/adjective
Usage Note
Quite formal or old-fashioned. In modern English, 'very' or 'greatly' is more common. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense intensifies without making a comparison.
Etymology
First known use
1711
1711, in the meaning defined above