An extraordinary synonym can praise, surprise or simply measure: remarkable, exceptional and outstanding praise, unprecedented and rare stress how unusual something is, and immense or staggering describe sheer size. The word literally means beyond the ordinary, so every replacement keeps that idea of standing out.
Coming up: another word for extraordinary in each sense, a strength strip, swaps for reviews and reports, and a short note on the formal meeting sense that trips up many readers.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
remarkable, exceptional, outstanding, phenomenalPart of speech
Adjective (adverb: extraordinarily)Most formal
exceptional, unprecedented, singularMost casual
amazing, incredible, mind-blowingStrongest
phenomenal, astonishing, staggeringAntonyms
ordinary, normal, averageWatch out
An extraordinary meeting is not a great meeting. It is a special one called outside the usual schedule.
Extraordinary synonym choices for four jobs
| Job | Words | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Impressively good | remarkable, exceptional, outstanding, superb | Her recovery was remarkable. |
| Unusual or strange | unusual, rare, unprecedented, bizarre | The flood was unprecedented in this valley. |
| Very large | immense, tremendous, staggering | They spent a staggering sum. |
| Outside the schedule | special, additional, emergency | The board called a special meeting. |
Praise is the meaning people look for most. The other three are easy to miss, yet they are where most wrong swaps happen.
Climbing the strength strip
On our strip, unusual comes first and only notes a difference. Remarkable means worth remarking on. Exceptional means an exception to the usual standard, a natural fit for references and reviews. Astonishing brings in shock, and phenomenal shouts loudest of the five.
Extraordinary itself sits near exceptional. If a word above it feels like too much, step down rather than adding very.
Swaps for reviews, reports and praise
- She has an extraordinary talent for music becomes she has an exceptional talent for music.
- The view from the summit was extraordinary becomes the view from the summit was spectacular.
- These are extraordinary times becomes these are unprecedented times.
- It took an extraordinary amount of work becomes it took an immense amount of work.
- That was an extraordinary remark becomes that was a bizarre remark.
- The team delivered extraordinary results becomes the team delivered outstanding results.
A reference letter reads: "Priya is an extraordinary, amazing and incredible analyst." Three big words weaken each other. One precise word with proof works better: "Priya is an exceptional analyst who cut reporting time by half."
Not every big word is a fit
Unique says this is the sole example of its type, a bolder and narrower idea. Special is warm but mild. Strange and bizarre describe the unusual sense only, so they turn praise into criticism. Extreme suggests going too far, not excellence.
In the strange sense, extraordinary often hints at disapproval: "his extraordinary behavior at dinner". Here odd or bizarre fits, while remarkable would sound like a compliment.
Saying it and spelling it
Many speakers skip the first a: ex TROR din air ee. Both that and the fuller form are standard. In writing it is always one word, though you may see extra ordinary used as a joke meaning more ordinary than usual. The adverb extraordinarily can become remarkably, exceptionally or unusually: an exceptionally hot summer.
Ordinary words: the antonyms
The direct opposite is ordinary. normal, typical and average are neutral, everyday is friendly, and mundane or unremarkable suggest dullness.
- It was an unremarkable game until the last minute.
- The tool looks mundane but saves hours.
- For most families, a fridge is an everyday purchase.
Pick typical when you compare with a group, and everyday when you mean familiar and routine.
More praise words nearby
For lighter praise, try our pages on amazing, incredible and impressive. Our adjective collection sorts adjectives by mood, which helps when you need variety across a long review. If you keep praising the same thing, alternate between a quality word such as superb and a surprise word such as astonishing, so each sentence adds something new.
Frequently asked questions
Extraordinary is not strong enough. What goes higher?
Phenomenal and astonishing feel stronger. In formal writing, unparalleled says nothing else compares, so keep it for genuine cases.
Extraordinary in an official report: which word fits?
Exceptional suits quality best. Unprecedented fits events that have never happened before.
Amazing in place of extraordinary: acceptable?
Fine for chats with friends and relaxed emails. In reports and essays, remarkable or exceptional sound more measured.
Extraordinary versus ordinary: are there other opposites?
Ordinary is the direct antonym. Normal, average, typical and everyday also work, and mundane adds a sense of boredom.
An extraordinary meeting at work means what?
It means a special meeting held outside the regular calendar, often to deal with an urgent matter. Special or emergency meeting is the plain English swap.
Extraordinary on a resume: better options?
Use exceptional or outstanding and attach a result, such as outstanding sales growth of thirty percent. Let the numbers carry the praise.