Big Parentheses in LaTeX (\Big( x \Big))

Where it is used

Parentheses fixed at the second size step, larger than \big but smaller than \bigg.

TeX offers four manual sizes: \big, \Big, \bigg and \Bigg. \Big( fits around single fractions or sums with small limits, and unlike \left it does not scan the content, so it can span line breaks in multiline environments and gives predictable results. For correct spacing, use \Bigl( to open and \Bigr) to close, since a bare \Big makes an ordinary atom. Manual sizes are often preferable to \left...\right inside function arguments, where \left adds extra space. Sizes are fixed, so they do not shrink in subscripts.

Minimal compilable example

Paste this into an empty .tex file and compile it with pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Big Parentheses: $\Big( x \Big)$

\[ \Bigl( \frac{a}{b} \Bigr)^{2} = \frac{a^2}{b^2} \]
\end{document}

Related symbols

• Bigg Parentheses\Bigg( x \Bigg)
• Vertical Bar\left| x \right|
• Left Delimiter with Invisible Right\left( x \right.
• Curly Braces\left\{ x \right\}
• Right Delimiter with Invisible Left\left. x \right)
• Square Brackets\left[ x \right]

Frequently asked questions

How do I write Big Parentheses in LaTeX?

Type \Big( x \Big) in math mode, for example $\Bigl( \frac{a}{b} \Bigr)^{2} = \frac{a^2}{b^2}$. It works in plain LaTeX without loading any package.

Which package do I need for \Big( x \Big)?

None. \Big( x \Big) is part of standard LaTeX, so it compiles with nothing in the preamble but the document class.

Can I use \Big( x \Big) in text mode, or only in math mode?

Both. \Big( x \Big) compiles in running text as well as inside $...$; in a formula keep it in math mode so it gets math fonts and spacing.