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What penis lengths and girths do sex surveys report as 'large' or 'very large' among adult women?
Executive summary
Major surveys and peer‑reviewed studies show most women do not demand extremely large penises; several large surveys and experiments find a “slightly larger than average” preference (roughly 6–6.5 inches length, and girths around 4.8–5.0 inches circumference), while smaller clinical studies emphasize girth over length for reported pleasure (width > length). The largest internet survey cited (52,031 respondents) reports perceptions of “large” in self‑ratings (22% of men called theirs large), but experimental preference work and multiple surveys place the women’s preferred “Goldilocks” range near 6–8 inches length and ~4.8–5.0 in circumference [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. What do big surveys measure when they call a penis ‘large’?
Large, mixed‑gender internet surveys typically record subjective self‑labels (large/average/small) rather than measured dimensions: for example, an internet study of 52,031 heterosexual respondents reports that most men labeled themselves “average,” 22% “large,” and 12% “small,” which is a perception metric rather than a direct measurement of inches or centimetres [1]. Clinical measurement studies (meta‑analyses) report mean erect lengths around 5.1–5.5 in (13–14 cm) and mean circumference about 4.6–4.7 in (11.7–11.9 cm), so “large” in survey language usually implies above those central values rather than a fixed threshold [5] [2].
2. Experiments that ask women to pick an “ideal” size: a Goldilocks result
Experimental and image‑based preference work shows women often pick penises slightly larger than the population average for both short‑term and long‑term partners. One study reported women’s long‑term preferred average at about 6.3 in (16 cm) length and 4.8 in (12.2 cm) circumference; for one‑time partners that rose to ~6.4 in length and ~5.0 in circumference [2]. Popular reporting of a large survey (1,387 women) also summarized a “Goldilocks” preference of roughly 6–8 in length, while noting substantial numbers said some sizes are too big or too small for enjoyment [3] [4].
3. Girth matters — many small studies point to width over length
Clinical and smaller survey work repeatedly emphasizes width (girth/circumference) as more salient than length for many women’s reported sexual satisfaction. A 2001 study of female undergraduate respondents found 45 of 50 said width felt better than length for satisfaction [6] [7]. Health and advice pieces echo that excessive length or girth can cause discomfort and that girth may stimulate more nerve endings — framing “very large” as potentially problematic, not purely desirable [8].
4. Measurement limitations, self‑report bias and representativeness
Multiple sources warn about survey biases: men over‑report erect size for social desirability and many large surveys rely on self‑measurement or self‑labeling (which inflates means and the fraction called “large”) [9] [10]. Internet convenience samples and single‑campus studies are not representative of all adult women; meta‑analyses that pool measured data give lower average sizes than many self‑reports, so thresholds for “large” depend on whether you treat subjective labels or measured distributions [5] [9].
5. What counts as ‘very large’ in the available reporting?
Available sources do not give a single agreed numeric cutoff labeled “very large,” but reporting implies that lengths notably above the pooled measured averages (for instance, ≥7–8 inches) are often seen as large or excessive by many women in surveys: one survey summary reported half of respondents found a 9‑inch penis too big to fully satisfy them, and many flagged 7+ inches as uncommon or problematic in self‑reports [3] [9] [4]. Experimental preference work centers desired ranges under 8 inches for most women [3] [2].
6. Competing interpretations and takeaways for readers
One interpretation: most women prefer penises modestly larger than the population mean (around 6–6.5 in length and ~4.8–5.0 in circumference) and often prioritize girth; very large sizes can be uncomfortable for some partners [2] [6] [8]. Opposing caveats in the literature stress that self‑report bias inflates both men’s and women’s stated ideals and that many women report being satisfied with average sizes — 85% of women in one large survey said they were satisfied with their partner’s penis size [5] [11]. That means “large” is context‑dependent: subjective label, measured percentile, or partner comfort all produce different thresholds [1] [5].
Limitations and what’s not in the sources: the provided reporting does not define a universal numeric cutoff for “large” vs “very large,” and available sources do not mention standardized percentile thresholds (e.g., 90th percentile length/girth) across representative, measured female‑partner preference samples — that data is not found in current reporting (not found in current reporting).