Synonyms of phenomenal

phenomenal

adjective

fi-ˈnä-mə-nᵊl 

1

as in extraordinary

being out of the ordinary

the phenomenal growth that the suburb has experienced over the last decade

Synonyms & Similar Words

• extraordinary
• exceptional
• unusual
• unique
• outstanding
• remarkable
• rare
• abnormal
• uncommon
• incredible
• odd
• singular
• exceeding
• anomalous
• atypical
• noticeable
• peculiar
• aberrant
• striking
• especial
• unwonted
• freak
• notable
• extraordinaire
• uncustomary
• preternatural
• prominent
• conspicuous
• aberrated
• salient
• bizarre
• eccentric
• strange
• inconceivable
• unimaginable
• incomprehensible
• deviant
• outlandish
• unthinkable
• weird
• quaint
• freakish
• monstrous
• oddball

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• normal
• common
• ordinary
• typical
• usual
• customary
• unexceptional
• unextraordinary
• frequent
• familiar
• everyday

2

as in superhuman

being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature

the phenomenal ability to remember the names of thousands of people

Synonyms & Similar Words

• superhuman
• uncanny
• miraculous
• magical
• remarkable
• unique
• outstanding
• transcendental
• transcendent
• supernatural
• supernormal
• unearthly
• strange
• preternatural
• marvelous
• bizarre
• rare
• unusual
• curious
• outrageous
• eerie
• peculiar
• fantastic
• grotesque
• uncommon
• funny
• prodigious
• weird
• puzzling
• perplexing
• baffling
• quirky
• singular
• outlandish
• unnatural
• confounding
• quaint
• shocking
• wacky
• idiosyncratic
• striking
• kinky
• atypical
• notable
• freakish
• out-of-the-way
• noticeable
• screwy
• queer
• flaky
• prominent
• outré
• bewildering
• aberrant
• unconventional
• mystifying
• freak
• wild
• conspicuous
• unorthodox
• salient
• far-out
• way-out
• unwonted
• queerish
• uncustomary

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• average
• ordinary
• typical
• usual
• everyday
• routine
• commonplace
• garden
• prosaic
• unremarkable
• familiar
• unexceptional
• predictable
• expected
• regular
• run-of-the-mill
• common
• frequent
• workaday
• customary
• habitual
• wonted

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective phenomenal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of phenomenal are corporeal, material, objective, physical, and sensible. While all these words mean "of or belonging to actuality," phenomenal applies to what is known or perceived through the senses rather than by intuition or rational deduction.

scientists concerned with the phenomenal world

When would corporeal be a good substitute for phenomenal?

Although the words corporeal and phenomenal have much in common, corporeal implies having the tangible qualities of a body such as shape, size, or resistance to force.

artists have portrayed angels as corporeal beings

When could material be used to replace phenomenal?

The synonyms material and phenomenal are sometimes interchangeable, but material implies formation out of tangible matter; used in contrast with spiritual or ideal it may connote the mundane, crass, or grasping.

material values

When is objective a more appropriate choice than phenomenal?

The meanings of objective and phenomenal largely overlap; however, objective may stress material or independent existence apart from a subject perceiving it.

no objective evidence of damage

When is it sensible to use physical instead of phenomenal?

The words physical and phenomenal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, physical applies to what is perceived directly by the senses and may contrast with mental, spiritual, or imaginary.

the physical benefits of exercise

In what contexts can sensible take the place of phenomenal?

While the synonyms sensible and phenomenal are close in meaning, sensible stresses the capability of readily or forcibly impressing the senses.

the earth's rotation is not sensible to us

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of phenomenal

At Mayfield in San Juan Capistrano, owner George Barker and chef Jon Sarmenta have taken that viral architecture and combined it with a Levant bent to create their phenomenal Batata Harra Thousand Layer Potatoes. —Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026

Add to that the phenomenal success of Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori—proving that novella-length books could succeed as standalone volumes—and editors were clamoring for more Japanese women writers in translation. —Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026

Both teams traded hoops in the opening quarter, and a surgical play by Jacob Klass, who was relatively quiet with 14 points yet did a phenomenal job as playmaker and defender, put Beverly ahead, 16-13, after one. —Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026

Many of the qualities required to be a phenomenal investor are present in AI, which can absorb endless data, recognize historical patterns, and operate entirely free of human greed, fear, or fads. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026