phrase

• On the whole; everything considered.

  More example sentences

  • ‘mammals have, by and large, bigger brains than reptiles’

  Synonyms

  largely, mostly, mainly, to a large extent, to a great extent, to a great degree, on the whole, chiefly, generally, in general, predominantly, substantially, primarily, overall, for the most part, in the main, principally, in great measure, preponderantly, first and foremost, for all intents and purposes, basically

  View synonyms

  Origin

  Originally in nautical use, describing the handling of a ship both to the wind and off it.