When excellent starts to sound like a rubber stamp, an excellent synonym such as outstanding, superb, exceptional, first-rate or exemplary can make your praise sound specific again. They hint at different strengths, from rare talent to careful effort.
The sections below group the words by setting: formal praise, everyday enthusiasm and the one-word-reply you send when a plan sounds right. You will also find a ranking from very good to exceptional, notes on British favorites such as brilliant and ace, and the words on the opposite end.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
outstanding, superb, exceptional, first-ratePart of speech
Adjective (adverb: excellently; noun: excellence)Strongest
exceptional, peerless, unrivaledMost formal
exemplary, distinguished, commendableMost casual
awesome, top-notch, aceAntonyms
poor, mediocre, terrible, inferiorWatch out
Superior means better than something else. Superior service implies a comparison, which excellent does not.
Every excellent synonym by setting
The same praise word can sound warm in a text and odd in a performance review. Use the setting to narrow it down.
| Setting | Words | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews of products or service | outstanding, superb, first-class | The hotel staff were first-class. |
| Feedback at work or school | exemplary, commendable, impressive | Your lab report is exemplary. |
| Chat with friends | awesome, amazing, terrific | That pizza was terrific. |
| Quick replies | perfect, great, sounds good | Friday at six? Perfect. |
| British speech | brilliant, cracking, ace | That was a cracking match. |
Very good, superb, exceptional: the ladder
On the strip above, the words rise in strength. Very good is high praise with room to grow. First-rate means top level within its class. Outstanding means it stands out from the rest. Superb adds a sense of style or skill. Exceptional means rare, the kind of result that does not happen often.
Excellent sits around outstanding. If you want to go above it, use exceptional or remarkable and support it with a concrete detail, such as the best score in the class.
Swaps for reviews, reports and replies
- Excellent work on the report becomes outstanding work on the report.
- The food was excellent becomes the food was superb.
- She has excellent communication skills becomes she communicates with exceptional clarity.
- An excellent example becomes a prime example or a textbook example.
- Excellent, see you then becomes perfect, see you then.
- Excellent customer service becomes first-class customer service.
A team lead writes a thank-you-note: "Excellent job, everyone." Adding one fact makes it stick: "Exceptional job, everyone. You cleared the backlog two days early." Readers remember the detail long after the adjective.
On a resume or in a reference
Recruiters see excellent in nearly every summary, so it loses force. Swap it for a word plus proof. Exemplary fits conduct and attendance. Proven pairs well with results: proven track record of cutting costs. Accomplished describes a skilled professional. Distinguished suits a long, honored career.
In references, phrases such as among the strongest I have supervised say more than any single adjective. For more ideas, browse our resume vocabulary pages, packed with action verbs and skill words.
Words that only seem to fit
Perfect means without any fault, which is a stronger and riskier claim. Superior compares two things. Fine once meant excellent and still can (fine wine), but in everyday speech it often means just acceptable: the food was fine. Nice is pleasant but weak. Incredible literally means hard to believe, so in formal writing it can sound like doubt.
Match the word to your real level of praise. A good result described as perfect sets expectations you may not want.
Opposites of excellent
At the other end, poor and substandard are formal and suit reports. Mediocre means average in a disappointing way. Terrible, awful and dreadful are strong and emotional. Second-rate suggests lower quality than expected.
- The sound quality was poor.
- Critics called the sequel mediocre.
For a longer list of praise words, see great synonyms and exceptional synonyms.
Frequently asked questions
What is a better word for excellent in feedback?
Exemplary, outstanding and impressive work well in feedback. Pair the word with a specific detail so the praise feels genuine.
What is the strongest synonym for excellent?
Exceptional, peerless and unrivaled are the strongest. Peerless and unrivaled mean nothing else compares, so use them sparingly.
Can I say superb instead of excellent?
Yes. Superb is slightly stronger and suggests skill or style, which makes it a good fit for food, performances and craftsmanship.
What is another word for excellent in casual chat?
Awesome, amazing, terrific and top-notch are relaxed choices. In British English, brilliant and ace are also common.
Which antonym of excellent is most neutral?
Poor is the calmest choice. Terrible and awful are stronger, and mediocre means disappointingly average.
How should a formal email reply say excellent?
Perfect, thank you or that works well for us are polite replies. Splendid sounds a little old-fashioned but can be charming.