NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 79
Chapter 2 Word Choice
69
enormity vs. enormousness
"Enormous" refers to size only: huge, massive, giant.
"Enormity" is about size, too, but has the added implication of
wickedness or evil.
v
The World Trade Center towers were ENORMOUS structures.
v
The ENORMITY of Osama Bin Laden's crimes overwhelms
most of us.
"Enormousness" is the noun form of the adjective "enormous" that is
only about size or scope and not about something monstrous or
outrageous.
v
The ENORMOUSNESS of Americans' outpouring of patriotism
is a positive in the aftermath of such horror.
Mrs. B suggests using "immenseness," instead.
It's easier to say, at least for her.
Better yet would be to rewrite the sentence:
v
The huge outpouring of Americans' patriotism is a positive after
such horror.
And Mrs. B cautions you not to beat up on yourself if you have
misused "enormity" or any other word in these recent times of such
national upheaval.
She quotes writer James M. Barrie (1860-1937):
"Life is a long lesson in humility."
Think of yourself as ahead in the lesson.
