Cool MateAwesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs That's a terrific story
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
That's a terrific story
Top 2,000 (common)
| Awesome | Excellent | Fantastic | Great | That's a terrific story | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ə təˈrɪfɪk ˈstɔːri//🇺🇸 //ðæts ə təˈrɪfɪk ˈstɔri// |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | very good or great | Really great or awesome. | very good or impressive | It's a great story. |
| 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! | After hearing her tale, I told her, 'That's a terrific story!' |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (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 | tell a story, great story, hear a story, share a story, exciting story |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | poor, bad, substandard | terrible, awful, bad | terrible, poor, 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. | Using 'terrific' incorrectly as negative (it means great), Confusing 'terrific' with 'terrible', Not using 'that's' when starting the phrase |
| 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. | Use this phrase to express enjoyment or admiration for someone's story. It's appropriate in most conversational contexts but may sound overly enthusiastic in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs That's a terrific story
What's the difference between Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and That's a terrific story?
Awesome: Very good or impressive Excellent: very good or great Fantastic: Really great or awesome. Great: very good or impressive That's a terrific story: It's a great story.
Which is more advanced: Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and That's a terrific story?
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! That's a terrific story: After hearing her tale, I told her, 'That's a terrific story!'
Can I use Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and That's a terrific story interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and That's a terrific story 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.