Mighty vs Tremendous

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Mighty

Top 2,000 (common)

Tremendous

Top 1,000 (very common)C1adjective
Most common: Tremendous
 MightyTremendous
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //ˈmaɪti//🇺🇸 //ˈmaɪti//🇬🇧 /["/trəˈmendəs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/trəˈmendəs/"]/
MeaningVery strong or powerful.Very great in amount, size, or intensity.
ExampleThe mighty river carved its way through the mountains.a tremendous explosion
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level-C1
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsmighty strength, mighty power, mighty performance, mighty force, mighty efforttremendous success, tremendous impact, tremendous effort, tremendous amount, tremendous talent
Antonymsweak, powerless, feeble, insignificanttiny, insignificant, small
Common mistakesConfused with 'mighty' vs 'mighty much', Overused in contexts that require a more neutral tone, Mispronounced as 'mite-y' instead of 'my-tee'Confused with 'tremendously', which is an adverb., Used inappropriately for small amounts, like 'a tremendous cup of coffee'., Mixing it up with 'tremble', which means to shake.
Usage notesUse '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.Used to express something very large or impressive. Avoid using it in overly formal writing or when a simpler word would suffice.

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Mighty
Tremendous

Frequently asked questions: Mighty vs Tremendous

What's the difference between Mighty and Tremendous?

Mighty: Very strong or powerful. Tremendous: Very great in amount, size, or intensity.

Which is more common: Mighty and Tremendous?

Tremendous is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Mighty: The mighty river carved its way through the mountains. Tremendous: a tremendous explosion

Can I use Mighty and Tremendous interchangeably?

Not always. Mighty and Tremendous 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.

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