whopper
C1informal, slang
Definition
Meaning
something exceptionally large, outrageous, or impressive.
1. An especially large specimen of something (e.g., a fish). 2. A blatant, extravagant lie. 3. (Proprietary) The trademarked name for a type of large hamburger from Burger King.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Has two primary senses: the literal 'large thing' and the figurative 'big lie.' The proprietary sense is a specific brand reference.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The 'big lie' sense is more common in BrE. In AmE, the proprietary trademark association (Burger King) is often primary.
Connotations
In BrE, connotes exaggeration or falsehood ("that's a whopper!"). In AmE, primarily connotes size ("I caught a whopper") or specifically the burger.
Frequency
High frequency in both, but more common in AmE due to brand ubiquity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
tell + [indirect object] + a whopperverb + a whopper (e.g., catch, land)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “that's a whopper”
- “spin a whopper”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; might be used informally for a large deal or a gross misstatement in a report.
Academic
Very rare; considered non-standard.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation, especially among friends and family.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - 'whopper' is not standardly used as a verb.
American English
- N/A - 'whopper' is not standardly used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - The related adjective is 'whopping' (e.g., a whopping great lie).
American English
- N/A - The related adjective is 'whopping' (e.g., a whopping bill).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He told a whopper about seeing a dinosaur.
- My little brother always comes home with a whopper about his day at school.
- The angler proudly displayed the whopper he'd caught in the lake.
- The company's annual report contained a statistical whopper that misled investors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of WHOPPER as a WHOPPING great thing – it WHOPs you with its size or audacity.
Conceptual Metaphor
SIZE IS IMPRESSIVE / A LIE IS AN OBJECT (of great size)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as "удар" (blow). The lie sense is best rendered as "несусветная ложь" or "враньё". The size sense as "гигант" or "монстр".
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing
- Confusing 'whopper' (noun) with 'whopping' (adjective)
- Misspelling as 'wopper'
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'whopper' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is firmly informal/slang and should be avoided in formal writing.
'Whopper' is a noun (a big thing/lie). 'Whopping' is an adjective meaning extremely large (a whopping bill).
Yes, informally (e.g., 'a whopper of a storm'), but it's most natural for discrete objects (fish, lies, burgers).
Not necessarily; it can be used humorously among friends, though it does imply a significant falsehood.
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