Difference Between Big and Large

Big vs Large

“Big” and “large” are both adjectives, and sometimes they can be used interchangeably while sometimes they cannot be as the meaning of the statement changes by their interchanging, or it becomes incorrect. They can both be used with countable nouns, meaning anything which can be counted or measured, for example, a large house, a big garden. However, they cannot be used with uncountable nouns, for example, traffic. “Large” and “big” both refer to more than average size, height, weight, length, etc.

Big
“Big” is a very common adjective. It is one of the most used words in the English language whereas it has been observed that “large” is not used as much as the word “big.” “Big” has many meanings one of which is “important,” for example:

“The decision of starting a new business is a big decision.”
Here “big” refers to “something very important.”
In informal situations, “big” refers to “older or elder,” for example:
“He is like a big brother to him; he looks after him as his own kid brother.”
“Big” also refers to “powerful or successful.” It might refer to a successful or powerful person or successful and powerful thing, city, center, etc. For example:
“Las Vegas is a big tourist attraction.”
“Big” is used in the case of an action which is considered, informally, of a large degree, for example:
“People of our generation are big spenders.”
Here “big” refers to “a lot of spending.”
“Big” refers to great strength and force, for example:
“A big storm was gaining ground.”
It can be used for popularity also, for example, “The show ‘Voice’ is big in the U.S.”
“Big” is used as fixed phrases and cannot be interchanged with “large,” for example,
“He has a big mouth”; “It is no big deal.”

Large
“Large” is used less commonly than “big.” It is used with quantity words, for example, large scale, a large number, a large amount of something, a large proportion, to a very large extent, large volume, large part of something, large area, etc.
It refers to a greater than average size, for example:
“A large house or large garden.”
It also refers to more than average breadth, capacity, or scope, for example:
“Things of large proportion.”
Significance is also indicated by the word “large,” for example:
“India is a large producer of rice and wheat.”
“Large” also refers to “liberal or tolerant,” for example:
“She had a generous spirit which was large and kind.”
“Large” can be used informally for pretentious and boastful actions or nature, for example:
“He had a large ego which got hurt easily.”
“Large” is also used in some fixed phrases where it cannot be changed with “big,” for example:
“Somebody being larger than life. Convicts being at large.”

Summary:

1.“Big” is one of the most common adjectives used and is one of the most used words in the English language; “large” is not as commonly used as “big.”
2.“Big” is used for many different meanings like, elder, important, successful, powerful, etc; “large” has many different usages where it is used for more than average breadth, capacity, or scope. It also means “significant, liberal, pretentious,” etc.

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