Cool MateAwesome vs Incredible
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
Incredible
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Most formal: Incredible
| Awesome | Incredible | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkredəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkredəbl/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | Very surprising or hard to believe. |
| Example | That movie was awesome! | The magician's tricks were absolutely incredible! |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | awesome experience, awesome job, awesome view, awesome performance | be, seem, sound, really, truly, absolutely, to, be, seem, sound, really, truly, absolutely, to |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | ordinary, common, unremarkable |
| Common mistakes | Used too frequently; try to vary vocabulary., Confused with 'awful', which means very bad., Overused for minor achievements. | Using 'incredible' as a noun instead of an adjective., Confusing 'incredible' with 'incredulous' (which means unable to believe)., Overusing 'incredible' to describe everyday situations. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing, where 'impressive' or 'excellent' might be more appropriate. | Use 'incredible' to describe something amazing or extraordinary. It is appropriate in both casual and serious contexts, but avoid it in overly formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs Incredible
What's the difference between Awesome and Incredible?
Awesome: Very good or impressive Incredible: Very surprising or hard to believe.
Which is more formal: Awesome and Incredible?
Incredible is the most formal of these.
Which is more advanced: Awesome and Incredible?
Awesome is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Awesome and Incredible the same CEFR level?
Awesome: B1, Incredible: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Awesome and Incredible?
Awesome: adjective, Incredible: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Awesome: That movie was awesome! Incredible: The magician's tricks were absolutely incredible!
Can I use Awesome and Incredible interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome and Incredible 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.