Cool MateAwesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Super
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
Excellent
Fantastic
Great
Super
| Awesome | Excellent | Fantastic | Great | Super | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsuːpə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsuːpər/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | very good or great | Really great or awesome. | very good or impressive | Very or extremely good. |
| Example | That movie was awesome! | 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! | a super meal |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A2 | A1 | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | awesome experience, awesome job, awesome view, awesome performance | 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 | super cute, super fast, super easy, super fun |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | poor, bad, substandard | terrible, awful, bad | terrible, poor, bad | poor, bad, inferior |
| Common mistakes | Used too frequently; try to vary vocabulary., Confused with 'awful', which means very bad., Overused for minor achievements. | 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. | Using 'super' in formal contexts where a more serious word is needed., Confusing 'super' with 'supper' due to their similar spelling., Incorrectly using 'super' as a noun. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing, where 'impressive' or 'excellent' might be more appropriate. | 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. | Used in casual conversations to emphasize something positively. Not suitable for formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Super
What's the difference between Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super?
Awesome: Very good or impressive Excellent: very good or great Fantastic: Really great or awesome. Great: very good or impressive Super: Very or extremely good.
Which is more advanced: Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super?
Super is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super the same CEFR level?
Awesome: B1, Excellent: A2, Fantastic: A1, Great: A1, Super: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super?
Awesome: adjective, Excellent: adjective, Fantastic: adjective, Great: adjective, Super: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Awesome: That movie was awesome! 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! Super: a super meal
Can I use Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, and Super 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.