Cool MateFantastic vs That'd be the bomb
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Fantastic
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
That'd be the bomb
SlangTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: FantasticMost common: Fantastic
| Fantastic | That'd be the bomb | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fænˈtæstɪk/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæt wəd bi ðə bɒm//🇺🇸 //ðæt wəd bi ðə bɑm// |
| Meaning | Really great or awesome. | That would be great or amazing. |
| Example | The movie was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed every moment of it. | Going to that concert would be the bomb! |
| Register | Neutral | Slang |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, really, truly, utterly, be, look, seem, rather | that'd be the bomb, sounds like it’d be the bomb |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | That'd be terrible, That'd be awful, That'd be horrible |
| Common mistakes | 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. | Used in formal conversations., Confused with 'that'll be the bomb' which is incorrect., Said too seriously, it should be light-hearted. |
| Usage notes | 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. | Used informally to express excitement. Avoid in formal settings and professional contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Fantastic vs That'd be the bomb
What's the difference between Fantastic and That'd be the bomb?
Fantastic: Really great or awesome. That'd be the bomb: That would be great or amazing.
Which is more formal: Fantastic and That'd be the bomb?
Fantastic is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Fantastic and That'd be the bomb?
Fantastic is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Fantastic: The movie was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed every moment of it. That'd be the bomb: Going to that concert would be the bomb!
Can I use Fantastic and That'd be the bomb interchangeably?
Not always. Fantastic and That'd be the bomb 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.