excellent

adjective

ˈek-s(ə-)lənt How to pronounce excellent (audio)
Definition of excellentnext
as in wonderful
of the very best kind fast-food fans rate this chain's fries as excellent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of excellent Reams of excellent books and documentaries are available chronicling the scene’s foresight and velocity, from Techno Rebels and Electrochoc to Assembling a Black Counter Culture and God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines. — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 2026 Materials Most igloo dog houses are constructed from a hard structural foam that is durable and weatherproof, providing excellent insulation and keeping harsh winds out. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026 Around the middle of the night, Mars and Jupiter come into view above the east-northeast horizon and just before the break of dawn are in excellent position, soaring high in the southern sky in the vicinity of the Sickle of Leo the Lion. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Does the amount of grant funding really say whether a medical school trains excellent physicians? — Ian Kingsbury, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for excellent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excellent
  1. wonderful
  2. superb
  3. great
  4. terrific
  5. fantastic
  6. awesome
  7. lovely
  8. fabulous
Adjective
  • Their sorrowful slow-dance, at first with the air and then with each other, set to the ensemble evoking the crooning of a record player, is just wonderful.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • There is a wonderful offhand quality to their scenes together.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Adjective
  • La Dame utilizes some ingredients only seen here, such as France’s superb Normandy butter.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • His ability to capture Haymitch’s warmth and charm and then weave that into the rage and heartbreak the Hunger Games sparks is superb.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of superb
Adjective
  • L3Harris claims its design can deliver greater range and speed than existing systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Tarantino revealed the most personally meaningful piece of casting in a film filled with great performances — including supporting turns by multiple actors (Austin Butler, Mikey Madison, Sydney Sweeney) who have blown up in the seven years since.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • Some of the production’s strongest moments feature this sort of tricky tonal pivot, as when a punkish gamer (a terrific Wren Rivera) is unveiled as the gleeful consultant who selects organ recipients using an algorithm.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026
  • At the center is a terrific vocal performance by Hader, who captures the spirit of a Cat in the Hat for a new generation.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrific
Adjective
  • The three-part 40mm drivers deliver fantastic audio by combining highs, mids, and lows to create an immersive soundscape that keeps you engaged and attentive.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In Hall’s absence, Braelon Allen has been a fantastic replacement, recording at least 100 scrimmage yards in the last four consecutive games.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of fantastic
Adjective
  • Students gathered under the stars in Hawaii recently to explore the awesome nature of the night sky together.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But if that’s one step too many, skip it—the stew will still be awesome.
    — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of awesome
Adjective
  • This also had a boat trip included, a lovely way to cool off after a day walking Barcelona’s lanes.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • This rigid, eye-catching collar makes a lovely focal point over plunging necklines and high-collar dresses alike.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of lovely
Adjective
  • The simple almond toe looks fabulous peeking out from under a pair of wide-leg jeans or trousers, and the side zipper adds just enough detail to avoid looking too plain.
    — Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026
  • If budget’s no matter, go all out with a fabulous diamond tennis bracelet from Blue Nile.
    — Mekaylah Yowpp-Hernacki, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of fabulous

Browse Nearby Words

excellency
excellent
excellently
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excellent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excellent. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abandon

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All