Cool MateDelighted vs Over the moon
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Delighted
Top 3,000 (common)B2adjective
Over the moon
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: DelightedMost common: Over the moon
| Delighted | Over the moon | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˌəʊ.və ðə muːn//🇺🇸 //ˌoʊ.vɚ ðə muːn// |
| Meaning | Very happy or pleased. | Very happy and joyful. |
| Example | She was delighted to receive the news of her promotion. | She was over the moon when she won the lottery. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | appear, be, feel, highly, only too, really, at, by, with | be over the moon, feel over the moon, make someone over the moon, look over the moon |
| Antonyms | displeased, unhappy, dissatisfied | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'delighted' in a sarcastic context., Confusing 'delighted' with 'excited'., Incorrect preposition use: saying 'delighted for' instead of 'delighted with' or 'about'. | Used too formally, like in business emails., Confused with 'over the place', which means disorganized. |
| Usage notes | Use 'delighted' to express genuine happiness, often in positive situations. It's more formal than 'happy', so avoid it in casual conversations. | Use this phrase in casual conversations when expressing great happiness. It is not suitable for formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Delighted vs Over the moon
What's the difference between Delighted and Over the moon?
Delighted: Very happy or pleased. Over the moon: Very happy and joyful.
Which is more formal: Delighted and Over the moon?
Delighted is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Delighted and Over the moon?
Over the moon is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Delighted: She was delighted to receive the news of her promotion. Over the moon: She was over the moon when she won the lottery.
Can I use Delighted and Over the moon interchangeably?
Not always. Delighted and Over the moon 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.