Cool MateDelighted vs Over the moon vs Thrilled
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Delighted
Top 3,000 (common)B2adjective
Over the moon
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Thrilled
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
| Delighted | Over the moon | Thrilled | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˌəʊ.və ðə muːn//🇺🇸 //ˌoʊ.vɚ ðə muːn// | 🇬🇧 /["/θrɪld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/θrɪld/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very happy or pleased. | Very happy and joyful. | Very excited or happy. |
| Example | She was delighted to receive the news of her promotion. | She was over the moon when she won the lottery. | ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’ |
| Register | Neutral | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - | C1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | 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 | be, feel, look, really, absolutely, quite, at, with, thrilled to bits, thrilled to pieces |
| Antonyms | displeased, unhappy, dissatisfied | - | disappointed, unhappy, bored |
| 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. | 'Thrilled' is sometimes confused with 'excited', but 'thrilled' is stronger., Learners might use 'thrilled' with negative contexts, which sounds odd., Some forget to use 'be' before 'thrilled' (e.g. saying 'I thrilled' instead of 'I am thrilled'). |
| 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. | Use 'thrilled' to express excitement in neutral to positive contexts. Avoid in very formal writing. It's suitable for conversations and informal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Delighted vs Over the moon vs Thrilled
What's the difference between Delighted, Over the moon, and Thrilled?
Delighted: Very happy or pleased. Over the moon: Very happy and joyful. Thrilled: Very excited or happy.
Which is more advanced: Delighted, Over the moon, and Thrilled?
Thrilled is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
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. Thrilled: ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’
Can I use Delighted, Over the moon, and Thrilled interchangeably?
Not always. Delighted, Over the moon, and Thrilled 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.