Cool MateYou look great vs You look terrific
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
You look great
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
You look terrific
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: You look terrific
| You look great | You look terrific | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //juː lʊk ɡreɪt//🇺🇸 //juː lʊk ɡreɪt// | 🇬🇧 //juː lʊk tɛˈrɪfɪk//🇺🇸 //ju lʊk tɛˈrɪfɪk// |
| Meaning | You appear very good or attractive. | You appear very good or attractive. |
| Example | At the party, everyone told her, 'You look great!' after her new haircut. | You look terrific in that new dress! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | look great together, look great in that outfit, look great today, look great on you | look terrific together, look terrific in photographs, make someone look terrific |
| Common mistakes | Using it in a negative context., Confusing with 'You look good'—slightly more positive., Adding unnecessary modifiers that can sound awkward. | Using 'terrific' to mean 'good' instead of 'great', Misplacing the emphasis on the word 'look', Using inappropriately with strangers or in formal emails |
| Usage notes | Used to compliment someone's appearance. Generally appropriate in casual settings. Avoid in formal contexts unless specified. | Use this phrase to compliment someone's appearance. Suitable in both casual and formal situations, but avoid it in professional contexts unless familiar with the person. |
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Frequently asked questions: You look great vs You look terrific
What's the difference between You look great and You look terrific?
You look great: You appear very good or attractive. You look terrific: You appear very good or attractive.
Which is more common: You look great and You look terrific?
You look terrific is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
You look great: At the party, everyone told her, 'You look great!' after her new haircut. You look terrific: You look terrific in that new dress!
Can I use You look great and You look terrific interchangeably?
Not always. You look great and You look terrific 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.