Cool MateAwesome vs Great
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
Great
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Most formal: Great
| Awesome | Great | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | very good or impressive |
| Example | That movie was awesome! | This pizza is great and very tasty! |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | awesome experience, awesome job, awesome view, awesome performance | 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 |
| Antonyms | 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 'great' in a sarcastic way without context., Confusing 'great' with 'grate' when writing., Overusing 'great' instead of finding more specific adjectives. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing, where 'impressive' or 'excellent' might be more appropriate. | 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. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Great
What's the difference between Awesome and Great?
Awesome: Very good or impressive Great: very good or impressive
Which is more formal: Awesome and Great?
Great is the most formal of these.
Which is more advanced: Awesome and Great?
Awesome is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Awesome and Great the same CEFR level?
Awesome: B1, Great: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Awesome and Great?
Awesome: adjective, Great: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Awesome: That movie was awesome! Great: This pizza is great and very tasty!
Can I use Awesome and Great interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome and Great 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.