mass

The amount of matter in an object, usually measured in grams or kilograms.

• The ball has a mass of two kilograms.
• We measured the mass of each sample.
• An object's mass stays the same when it moves to the moon.

Common phrases: mass of something, body mass, total mass, measure mass

A large amount of material or many things gathered together.

• A mass of leaves covered the path.
• Her hair was a tangled mass.
• Dark masses of cloud gathered above the hills.

How to use it: a mass of something (A mass of branches blocked the stream.)

Similar words: heap, pile, bulk

Common phrases: mass of something, tangled mass, solid mass, great mass

A Christian church service, especially Catholic, where bread and wine are shared in memory of Jesus.

• They attend mass every Sunday.
• The priest celebrated mass in the small chapel.
• We went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Similar words: Eucharist

Common phrases: attend mass, Sunday mass, midnight mass, celebrate mass

A large number of people gathered together.

• A mass of fans filled the street.
• We could barely move through the mass of people.
• The protesters formed a huge mass outside the building.

How to use it: a mass of people (A mass of people waited outside the station.)

Similar words: crowd, throng

Common phrases: mass of people, mass of protesters, cheering mass, moving mass

An unusual lump in the body that can be felt or seen during a medical examination.

• The scan showed a small mass.
• The doctor felt a mass in her abdomen.
• Surgeons removed the mass and sent it for testing.

Similar words: lump

Common phrases: abdominal mass, breast mass, remove a mass, detect a mass

Affecting or involving a very large number of things.

• Mass production made the toys cheaper.
• Scientists found evidence of a mass extinction.
• The disease caused mass deaths among the birds.

Similar words: large-scale, widespread

Common phrases: mass production, mass extinction, mass destruction, mass manufacture

Involving, affecting, or intended for a very large number of people.

• The closures caused mass unemployment.
• Thousands joined a mass protest.
• The government launched a mass vaccination programme.

Similar words: large-scale, widespread

Common phrases: mass unemployment, mass media, mass protest, mass vaccination