Great Synonyms | Uses & Examples
Great is a versatile adjective that can mean “excellent,” “large or numerous,” “important,” “intense,” or “admirable.” Since great can describe size, quality, and intensity, among other things, the best synonym for great depends on the context.
Some synonyms for great are:
- Excellent
- Wonderful
- Terrific
- Amazing
- Fantastic
- Important
- Significant
- Major
- Powerful
- Strong
- Substantial
- Tremendous
- Impressive
- Exceptional
Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find even more synonyms for great.
Table of contents
Synonyms for great
When great means “excellent,” some synonyms are better matches than others. Usually, this is because of the level of intensity they convey. For example, “wonderful” and great both imply something being “much better than average,” while “good” suggests “average.”
| Match | Synonym | Great example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Excellent | I think the book is great, but I didn’t like the protagonist. | I think the book is excellent, but I didn’t like the protagonist. |
| Wonderful | We had such a great evening together yesterday! | We had such a wonderful evening together yesterday! | |
| Terrific | Your story about the fishing boat is a great anecdote. | Your story about the fishing boat is a terrific anecdote. | |
| Amazing | Lily is lucky that she has a great advisor this year. | Lily is lucky that she has an amazing advisor this year. | |
| Fantastic | Your latest painting is truly great. | Your latest painting is truly fantastic. | |
| Strong | Superb | This dessert is great! | This dessert is superb! |
| Remarkable | Juan did a great job designing the flier. | Juan did a remarkable job designing the flier. | |
| Weak | Good | My eldest brother is great at tennis. | My eldest brother is good at tennis. |
| Cool | This great sweater is on sale. | This cool sweater is on sale. |
When great means “large,” the same thing happens. Note that when used in this context, great can be used literally (e.g., “a great amount”), but it is most often used figuratively (e.g., “a great effort”).
| Match | Synonym | Great example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Large | Their mansion has a great ballroom that spans most of the first floor. | Their mansion has a large ballroom that spans most of the first floor. |
| Huge | The team is undoubtedly facing a great challenge. | The team is undoubtedly facing a huge challenge. | |
| Enormous | The hero arrived at the edge of a great forest. | The hero arrived at the edge of an enormous forest. | |
| Considerable | Mia accidentally spilled a great amount of oil while cooking. | Mia accidentally spilled a considerable amount of oil while cooking. | |
| Big | There’s a great library in the middle of the town. | There’s a big library in the middle of the town. | |
| Strong | Immense | We’ll have to cross a great desert to get there. | We’ll have to cross an immense desert to get there. |
| Mammoth | Building the dam was a great undertaking for the engineers. | Building the dam was a mammoth undertaking for the engineers. | |
| Weak | Humongous | The children were excited to see a great pile of presents under the tree. | The children were excited to see a humongous pile of presents under the tree. |
| Voluminous | She donated a great stack of clothes to charity. | She donated a voluminous stack of clothes to charity. |
When great means “important,” it (and its synonyms) often carries a positive connotation that implies that something is impressive.
| Match | Synonym | Great example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Important | Education plays a great role in development. | Education plays an important role in development. |
| Significant | Albert Einstein made great contributions to physics. | Albert Einstein made significant contributions to physics. | |
| Major | The organization sees climate change as a great concern. | The organization sees climate change as a major concern. | |
| Strong | Remarkable | Stephen King has had a great impact on the horror genre. | Stephen King has had a remarkable impact on the horror genre. |
| Critical | A good counselor can help bring about great changes in a child. | A good counselor can help bring about critical changes in a child. | |
| Crucial | The discovery had great implications. | The discovery had crucial implications. | |
| Weak | Notable | Michael is getting recognized today for his great achievements in economics. | Michael is getting recognized today for his notable achievements in economics. |
- Bob Dylan is one of music’s greats.
- Serena Williams is one of the all-time greats of tennis.
Some synonyms for great with this meaning are “legend,” “icon,” and “star.”
Synonyms of great meaning “intense” suggest an intensity in strength or degree. Some, like “acute” or “extreme,” often have negative connotations.
| Match | Synonym | Great example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Powerful | The medicine had a great effect on her recovery. | The medicine had a powerful effect on her recovery. |
| Strong | Nina has a great curiosity about the world, and she loves traveling. | Nina has a strong curiosity about the world, and she loves traveling. | |
| Substantial | The project required a great effort from the entire team. | The project required a substantial effort from the entire team. | |
| Tremendous | Marcus has a great fear of airplanes. | Marcus has a tremendous fear of airplanes. | |
| Strong | Extreme | There’s a great storm rolling in over the plains. | There’s an extreme storm rolling in over the plains. |
| Notable | The new policy had a great impact on the community. | The new policy had a notable impact on the community. | |
| Weak | Acute | He was in great pain after the injury. | He was in acute pain after the injury. |
When great is used to show admiration or praise, these synonyms highlight qualities that inspire respect, approval, or awe; therefore, these synonyms generally hold positive connotations.
| Match | Synonym | Great example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Impressive | She gave a great performance that left the audience in awe. | She gave an impressive performance that left the audience in awe. |
| Exceptional | He is a great leader who motivates everyone around him. | He is an exceptional leader who motivates everyone around him. | |
| Strong | Noble | She showed great character in standing up for what was right. | She showed noble character in standing up for what was right. |
| Inspiring | The teacher’s great dedication made her students strive harder. | The teacher’s inspiring dedication made her students strive harder. | |
| Weak | Fine | That’s a great example of teamwork. | That’s a fine example of teamwork. |
These fixed expressions can’t easily be replaced with synonyms for great because they carry established meanings. For help with these expressions, ask QuillBot’s AI Chat.
Frequently asked questions about great synonyms
- What’s a synonym for great job?
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Synonyms for “great job” include:
- Excellent work
- Outstanding effort
- Superb performance
- Nicely done
These synonyms for great can make your praise more specific and impactful. Find even more options with QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
- What’s a synonym for great amount?
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Synonyms for “great amount” include:
- Large quantity
- Considerable sum
- Substantial volume
- A lot
These synonyms for great vary by context, whether you’re describing money, effort, or physical items. Find more precise wording with QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
- What’s a synonym for have a great day?
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Some synonyms for “have a great day” are:
- Have an excellent day
- Have a wonderful day
- Have an amazing day
- Have a terrific day
These synonyms for great keep your message warm and friendly. Discover more alternatives with QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
- What’s a synonym for sounds great?
-
Synonyms for “sounds great” include:
- Sounds excellent
- Sounds wonderful
- Sounds awesome
- Sounds amazing
These synonyms for great convey enthusiasm or approval. Check QuillBot’s Paraphraser for more options.
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Santoro, K. (2025, October 01). Great Synonyms | Uses & Examples. Quillbot. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from https://quillbot.com/blog/synonyms/great-synonym/
