goliath: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal to neutral; often literary, journalistic, or in business contexts.
Quick answer
What does “goliath” mean?
An exceptionally large, powerful, or influential person or thing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An exceptionally large, powerful, or influential person or thing.
A formidable opponent, a dominant force, or a thing of enormous scale; often used metaphorically for an oversized entity or a seemingly unbeatable challenge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Slightly more common in British journalistic contexts to describe large corporations or sports teams.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of a daunting, almost mythical opponent. In American business contexts, often used for monopolistic companies.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in both, but understood by educated speakers. More likely encountered in written texts than everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “goliath” in a Sentence
[entity] is a Goliath in [field][David] vs. [Goliath]to challenge/slay/face the GoliathVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “goliath” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The team adopted a Goliath-like presence on the pitch.
American English
- They faced Goliath-sized regulatory hurdles.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe a market-dominating corporation, e.g., 'The startup took on the industry Goliath.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or business case studies discussing power dynamics.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used for dramatic effect to describe a very large obstacle or opponent.
Technical
Not typical in hard sciences; used in social sciences, economics, or media studies.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “goliath”
- Using it as a simple synonym for 'big' (e.g., 'a goliath pizza'). Incorrectly capitalising when used as a common noun (e.g., 'the goliath company').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Capitalise when referring directly to the biblical character (Proper Noun). Do not capitalise when used metaphorically as a common noun (e.g., 'a corporate goliath'), though in practice, capitalisation is often retained for emphasis.
Not inherently negative, but it typically frames the entity as a formidable, often oppressive, challenge or monopoly. The context (e.g., 'slay the Goliath') determines the positive or negative slant.
Rarely. It might be used positively to acknowledge sheer scale and achievement (e.g., 'a Goliath of engineering'), but it still carries a sense of an imposing, possibly intimidating, entity.
Using it as a simple adjective for size ('a goliath building') instead of as a noun for a powerful, dominant entity. Also, overusing it in informal contexts where simpler words like 'giant' are more natural.
An exceptionally large, powerful, or influential person or thing.
Goliath is usually formal to neutral; often literary, journalistic, or in business contexts. in register.
Goliath: in British English it is pronounced /ɡəˈlaɪ.əθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡəˈlaɪ.əθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “David and Goliath”
- “a Goliath task”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of GO (as in 'go large') + LIATH (sounds like 'lion' in strength). A GO-LIKE-LION in size and power.
Conceptual Metaphor
POWER IS SIZE / A DIFFICULT PROBLEM IS A LARGE, PHYSICAL OPPONENT.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'Goliath' LEAST appropriate?