Grand means impressively large, magnificent, or important. A grand building like a cathedral soars toward the sky with towering columns and vast spaces that make you feel small when you walk inside. A grand piano fills a concert hall with rich, powerful sound because of its size and craftsmanship. When something is described as grand, it combines size with a quality of majesty or splendor that commands attention and respect.

You might have grand ambitions, meaning your goals are significant and far-reaching, like planning to become a doctor who develops new treatments or an engineer who designs bridges. A grand celebration involves elaborate decorations, many guests, and special touches that make it memorable. The Grand Canyon earns its name through its immense scale and breathtaking beauty.

The word also appears in grand total, meaning the final sum when everything is added together, and grand prize, the top award in a competition. A grandstand at a stadium is the large main seating area where crowds gather.

People sometimes use grand ironically for things that seem pretentious or overly elaborate. For example, “She made a grand entrance” might mean someone arrived in a showy, attention-seeking way. But typically, grand conveys genuine impressiveness, whether describing a palace, a symphony, or someone's sweeping vision for the future.