Cool MateGreat vs Mighty
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Great
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Mighty
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Great
| Great | Mighty | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈmaɪti//🇺🇸 //ˈmaɪti// |
| Meaning | very good or impressive | Very strong or powerful. |
| Example | This pizza is great and very tasty! | The mighty river carved its way through the mountains. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | 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 | mighty strength, mighty power, mighty performance, mighty force, mighty effort |
| Antonyms | terrible, poor, bad | weak, powerless, feeble, insignificant |
| Common mistakes | Using 'great' in a sarcastic way without context., Confusing 'great' with 'grate' when writing., Overusing 'great' instead of finding more specific adjectives. | Confused with 'mighty' vs 'mighty much', Overused in contexts that require a more neutral tone, Mispronounced as 'mite-y' instead of 'my-tee' |
| Usage notes | 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 'mighty' to describe someone or something with great strength or power. It’s often used in both poetic and everyday language. It's not typically used in very formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Great vs Mighty
What's the difference between Great and Mighty?
Great: very good or impressive Mighty: Very strong or powerful.
Which is more common: Great and Mighty?
Great is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Great: This pizza is great and very tasty! Mighty: The mighty river carved its way through the mountains.
Can I use Great and Mighty interchangeably?
Not always. Great and Mighty 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.