Definition of phenomenalnext
1
2

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

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 phenomenal And, obviously, with such a phenomenal group, the show also won for Outstanding Casting. — Keith Langston, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 This strategy also helps employers get to know phenomenal candidates whose applications are going to accidentally be rejected by the ATS and AI systems. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Anthony Behar / Sipa USA Thiem, her fellow Austrian and the last player with a single-hander to win a Slam, possessed a phenomenal backhand. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Several Fort Worth-area running backs posted phenomenal performances in Week 2. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phenomenal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phenomenal
Adjective
  • Movies bring audiences across the country the unique magic of sitting with their neighbors to see extraordinary stories told on the big screen at their local cinema.
    — Paul Gunsky, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Speed At All Costs The cars of the early 1990s were extraordinary machines, bristling with active suspension and aerodynamic wizardry.
    — Jessica Vitiritti, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Pocket calculators are superhuman but narrow, whereas the first large language models, though barely articulate, were general.
    — George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
  • But our heroine, who’s clearly still possessed by the superhuman poise that Yeoh has weaponized across her brilliant career, is unconvinced.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The machines typically used to compress fuel must deliver enormous bursts of energy with exceptional precision.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The formula’s lead ingredient, soybean ferment extract, is an exceptional resurfacing agent—improving skin’s texture, tone, and radiance without any harsh side effects.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Phoebe Bridgers, in her first film role, pulls off an uncanny transformation as a decoy who bends lines of age and gender.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • One of Mahomes’ many uncanny traits is that this traction and momentum will only feed off itself.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Voters are deeply concerned about income disparity but also skeptical about the unusual approach of the billionaire tax.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The incident adds an unusual detail to the growing record of autonomous AI behavior.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Continue reading … BOLT FROM ABOVE — Couple recounts 'miraculous' rescue after surviving harrowing lightning strike during evening stroll.
    — , FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Catholic Church has officially recognized 72 healings as miraculous at Lourdes, out of more than 7,000 cases examined since 1858.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • This unique propagation gives rise to wave trajectories with directional rotation, or handedness, which dictates whether paths rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Season two goes a little differently than season one, because the music exec in charge of casting the show (Ashley Padilla) is being lightly blackmailed by two … unique candidates (Jane Wickline and new cast member Grace Reiter).
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The Mary Poppins of the novels is often noted for being more mysterious, mercurial and dangerous than her film incarnation, and the adventures in the books are magical, surreal and sometimes frightening.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The film followed the trials of a struggling keyboardist who gets hold of a magical synthesizer, only to lose it and embark on a picaresque journey to get it back.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phenomenal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phenomenal. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster