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Is the word awesome overused?
Many object to the use of awesome to describe something (such as a sandwich) that does not literally elicit feelings of awe. Yet the same people who insist that awesome should be used only of weighty subjects (Niagara Falls, man landing on the moon) will happily use the word awful in reference to something (such as a mess) that falls distinctly short of being “full of awe.” This weakened sense was once considered improper—in fact, complaints about it persisted through the early decades of the 20th century.
The change in meaning that awesome is undergoing may be more recent than that of awful, but both words are treading the same path. For evidence that such change is normal, we need look no further than awe, which originally meant “terror” and now carries the weaker sense “wonder.”
Synonyms of awesome
Examples of awesome in a Sentence
Jennifer Rosen Heinz, Parents, 17 June 2026
Don't miss your chance to save $516 on this awesome OmniBook 7.
—Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 16 June 2026
One patriotic American who doesn't need any reminder that his country is awesome is FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
Meeting and working with Mandy Moore for a couple of months was so awesome.
—Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for awesome
Cite this Entry
“Awesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
awesome
adjective
