PHENOMENAL Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

phenomenal

adjective

fi-ˈnä-mə-nᵊl

Definition of phenomenal

as in extraordinary

being out of the ordinary the phenomenal growth that the suburb has experienced over the last decade

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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 Monroe may be the most fun course around to play, with an inviting layout, phenomenal greens (many elevated) and excellent course conditions. — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026 Jayden Daniels was phenomenal during his two seasons under center for the LSU Tigers and took home every award imaginable, including the Heisman Trophy, during his final campaign in Death Valley in 2023. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phenomenal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for phenomenal

Adjective

The Tigers repeatedly found explosive gains through the air, some created not by an extraordinary throw but by a defensive breakdown.

— Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
The adventure experts at EYOS Expeditions have curated a new journey that combines a deep-water expedition with all the extraordinary wonders of Alaska’s wilderness.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of extraordinary

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

Definition of superhuman

Adjective

Michelin has introduced a rating of wineries where one grape denotes a very good producer; two an excellent producer, and three an exceptional producer.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026
But a player who is exceptional at the sport but lacks notoriety is a different story.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of exceptional

Adjective

Each one of her novels presents a different setting and dynamic, but her oeuvre is unified by careful thought, sharp style, and an uncanny ability to make the pages want to turn.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
To trace the bloc of states where over 50% of religious congregation members were Baptist or Methodist was to trace the region’s boundaries with uncanny precision.

— John Hayes, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

The move is unusual due to the more than six-month-long conflict between Iran and the United States and no sign that agreements to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to talks on Iran's nuclear program are close.

— September 18, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
The team also needed to confirm that the unusual structures were genuine electron behavior rather than artifacts created by the microscope.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian went viral following his team’s miraculous 24-23 comeback against Ohio State this past Saturday after running off from a postgame interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
He was given the Last Rites by a priest in the hospital before making a miraculous recovery.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of miraculous

Adjective

But this cycle, Republicans are doing so with unique political headwinds, chief among them the war in Iran.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026
Rather than excavating and extensively modifying hundreds of unique Minuteman-era facilities, the Air Force is developing a standardized, modular construction approach for the new silos.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of unique

Adjective

Love was in the air, the city was magical, and every detail was simply unforgettable!

— Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Production designer Henry Dunn and costume designer Elisabeth Vastola make UCLA feel like a real-life social ecosystem rather than a generic backdrop, while still allowing every number to erupt into its own magical world of performance.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of magical

Browse Nearby Words

phenomena

phenomenal

phenomenon

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Phenomenal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phenomenal. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of phenomenal

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nemesis

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes