Cool MateDamned good vs Excellent
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Damned good
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Excellent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Most formal: ExcellentMost common: Excellent
| Damned good | Excellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dæmd ɡʊd//🇺🇸 //dæmd ɡʊd// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very good or excellent. | very good or great |
| Example | If you think that movie was boring, you should check it out; it's actually damned good. | Her performance in the play was excellent and received a standing ovation. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | damned good time, damned good deal, damned good job | appear, be, look, most, really, truly, at, for |
| Antonyms | - | poor, bad, substandard |
| Common mistakes | Used in formal contexts where it's inappropriate., Misunderstood as overly negative due to the word 'damned'., Confused with other expressions of praise. | 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. |
| Usage notes | This phrase is often used in casual conversations to express strong approval; it can be considered slightly vulgar depending on the audience. | 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. |
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Frequently asked questions: Damned good vs Excellent
What's the difference between Damned good and Excellent?
Damned good: Very good or excellent. Excellent: very good or great
Which is more formal: Damned good and Excellent?
Excellent is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Damned good and Excellent?
Excellent is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Damned good: If you think that movie was boring, you should check it out; it's actually damned good. Excellent: Her performance in the play was excellent and received a standing ovation.
Can I use Damned good and Excellent interchangeably?
Not always. Damned good and Excellent 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.