Fabulous vs Incredible

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

Fabulous

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adjective

Incredible

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Most common: Incredible

	Fabulous	Incredible
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈfæbjələs/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈfæbjələs/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkredəbl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkredəbl/"]/
Meaning	Really great or amazing	Very surprising or hard to believe.
Example	They put on a fabulous performance.	The magician's tricks were absolutely incredible!
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	A2
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Collocations	fabulous time, fabulous outfit, fabulous performance, fabulous restaurant	be, seem, sound, really, truly, absolutely, to, be, seem, sound, really, truly, absolutely, to
Antonyms	ordinary, common, mediocre	ordinary, common, unremarkable
Common mistakes	Using 'fabulous' too frequently in ordinary situations., Confusing 'fabulous' with 'fable' or 'fabulousness'.	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	Use 'fabulous' to describe something wonderfully impressive. It's suitable for both spoken and written contexts but may sound slightly exaggerated if overused in casual conversation.	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

An incredible sacrifice is being made by the people on Earth who are gonna die!

Top Gear › S1 E1

-But, I mean, 11,750. -That... That is incredible actually.

ARIADNE: You built all this? This is incredible.

An incredible sacrifice is being made by the people on Earth who are gonna die!

Top Gear › S1 E1

-But, I mean, 11,750. -That... That is incredible actually.

Incredible

Frequently asked questions: Fabulous vs Incredible

What's the difference between Fabulous and Incredible?

Fabulous: Really great or amazing Incredible: Very surprising or hard to believe.

Which is more common: Fabulous and Incredible?

Incredible is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Fabulous and Incredible?

Fabulous is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Fabulous and Incredible the same CEFR level?

Fabulous: B2, Incredible: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Fabulous and Incredible?

Fabulous: adjective, Incredible: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Fabulous: They put on a fabulous performance. Incredible: The magician's tricks were absolutely incredible!

Can I use Fabulous and Incredible interchangeably?

Not always. Fabulous 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.