Cool MateExcellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Outstanding vs Superb vs Very good
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Excellent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Fantastic
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Great
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Outstanding
Top 1,000 (very common)B2adjective
Superb
FormalTop 2,000 (common)C1adjective
Very good
Top 1,000 (very common)
Most formal: Superb
| Excellent | Fantastic | Great | Outstanding | Superb | Very good | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/aʊtˈstændɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/aʊtˈstændɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/suːˈpɜːb/"]/🇺🇸 /["/suːˈpɜːrb/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈvɛri ɡʊd//🇺🇸 //ˈvɛri ɡʊd// |
| Meaning | very good or great | Really great or awesome. | very good or impressive | Very good or excellent. | very good or excellent | Really nice or great. |
| Example | 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! | She received an outstanding performance evaluation from her manager. | a superb player | The food at this restaurant is very good. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Formal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | A1 | A1 | B2 | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | 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 | be, consider something, particularly, really, truly, be, remain, leave something, still | be, look, sound, really, absolutely, quite | very good news, very good friend, very good performance |
| Antonyms | poor, bad, substandard | terrible, awful, bad | terrible, poor, bad | mediocre, ordinary, unremarkable | poor, mediocre, bad | - |
| Common mistakes | 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. | Used incorrectly as a noun., Confused with 'outstand' (verb)., 'Outstanding' used in a sarcastic context when it should be genuine. | Confused with 'superb' and 'superbowl', Using 'superb' in negative contexts, Overusing it in casual settings | Using 'very goodly' instead of 'very good', Confusing with 'really good' - both are correct but might sound different in usage, Overuse can make it sound less genuine |
| Usage notes | 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 'outstanding' to describe something that is much better than average. It's appropriate in both professional and casual contexts, but be careful not to overuse it, as it can lose its impact. | Use 'superb' in positive contexts to describe things that are exceptionally good, often with a touch of elegance. Avoid in casual or everyday speech, where simpler words like 'great' are more common. | Used to express approval or satisfaction. Can be informal among friends, but appropriate in many contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Outstanding vs Superb vs Very good
What's the difference between Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Outstanding, Superb, and Very good?
Excellent: very good or great Fantastic: Really great or awesome. Great: very good or impressive Outstanding: Very good or excellent. Superb: very good or excellent Very good: Really nice or great.
Which is more formal: Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Outstanding, Superb, and Very good?
Superb is the most formal of these.
Which is more advanced: Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Outstanding, Superb, and Very good?
Superb is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
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! Outstanding: She received an outstanding performance evaluation from her manager. Superb: a superb player Very good: The food at this restaurant is very good.
Can I use Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Outstanding, Superb, and Very good interchangeably?
Not always. Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Outstanding, Superb, and Very good 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.