Cool MateAwesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Super vs That's a shake
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
Excellent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Fantastic
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Great
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Super
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B2adjective
That's a shake
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
| Awesome | Excellent | Fantastic | Great | Super | That's a shake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈeksələnt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡreɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsuːpə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsuːpər/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ə ʃeɪk//🇺🇸 //ðæts ə ʃeɪk// |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | very good or great | Really great or awesome. | very good or impressive | Very or extremely good. | This means that something is very good or impressive. |
| 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 | When she scored the winning goal, everyone shouted, 'That's a shake!' |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Informal | Neutral |
| 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) | Beyond 10,000 (less 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 | that's a shake moment, that's a shake situation, that's a shake reaction |
| 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. | Using it in overly formal contexts., Misinterpreting it as a literal shake., Confusing it with other expressions of approval. |
| 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. | Often used informally to express approval or excitement. It's casual and may not be suitable in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Excellent vs Fantastic vs Great vs Super vs That's a shake
What's the difference between Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Super, and That's a shake?
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. That's a shake: This means that something is very good or impressive.
Which is more advanced: Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Super, and That's a shake?
Super is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
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 That's a shake: When she scored the winning goal, everyone shouted, 'That's a shake!'
Can I use Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Super, and That's a shake interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome, Excellent, Fantastic, Great, Super, and That's a shake 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.