Cool MateAwesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Oh good good
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
Excellent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Fantastic
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Great
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Oh good good
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
| Awesome | Excellent | Fantastic | Great | Oh good good | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //oʊ ɡʊd ɡʊd//🇺🇸 //oʊ ɡʊd ɡʊd// |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | very good or great | Really great or awesome. | very good or impressive | An expression showing happiness or approval. |
| Example | That movie was awesome! | Her performance in the play was excellent and received a standing ovation. | The movie was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed every moment of it. | This pizza is great and very tasty! | Oh good good! I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A2 | A1 | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | awesome experience, awesome job, awesome view, awesome performance | appear, be, look, most, really, truly, at, for | be, feel, look, really, truly, utterly, be, look, seem, rather | be, feel, look, just, really, absolutely, be, become, very, great big, no great, be, become, very, great big, no great, be, become, very, great big, no great, be, really, truly, very, be, feel, look, just, really, absolutely, be, become, very, great big, no great, be, become, very, great big, no great | oh good good news, oh good good times, oh good good friends |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | poor, bad, substandard | terrible, awful, bad | terrible, poor, bad | Oh no, That's bad, Too bad |
| Common mistakes | Used too frequently; try to vary vocabulary., Confused with 'awful', which means very bad., Overused for minor achievements. | Using 'excellent' in a negative context (e.g. 'That was an excellent mistake')., Confusing 'excellent' with 'excellently' (adverb form) in the wrong context., Overusing it when 'good' or 'fine' would suffice. | Using 'fantastic' to describe negative things, which is incorrect., Mixing up 'fantastic' with 'fantastical', which means imaginary or whimsical., Think it's only for extraordinary situations; it can also be used for nice, everyday experiences. | Using 'great' in a sarcastic way without context., Confusing 'great' with 'grate' when writing., Overusing 'great' instead of finding more specific adjectives. | Used in formal contexts where it's inappropriate., Confused with 'oh great' in negative situations., Used repeatedly without context, leading to confusion. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing, where 'impressive' or 'excellent' might be more appropriate. | Use 'excellent' to describe something that is of very high quality. It is appropriate in both spoken and written English. Avoid using it in overly casual contexts where simpler terms might be more fitting. | Use 'fantastic' in everyday conversation to express that something is very good. It's appropriate for most contexts but can feel overly enthusiastic in formal writing. | Use 'great' to describe something positive or impressive. It's suitable in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it in a sarcastic tone, as it can change the meaning. | Used often in casual conversation to express relief or joy. It might sound overly casual in formal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Oh good good
What's the difference between Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Oh good good?
Awesome: Very good or impressive Excellent: very good or great Fantastic: Really great or awesome. Great: very good or impressive Oh good good: An expression showing happiness or approval.
Which is more advanced: Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Oh good good?
Awesome is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Awesome: That movie was awesome! Excellent: Her performance in the play was excellent and received a standing ovation. Fantastic: The movie was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed every moment of it. Great: This pizza is great and very tasty! Oh good good: Oh good good! I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.
Can I use Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Oh good good interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Oh good good are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.