A “Great” Synonym Guide — Definition, Antonyms, and Examples

The difference between great writing and good writing is your vocabulary and knowledge of the language. Repetition in writing will automatically degrade the quality of your work, making it less appealing to the readers.

If you’re looking for a suitable term to use as a synonym for great, this guide is for you!

Here’s a shortlist of the most common great synonyms, antonyms, and their definitions with example sentences for better comprehension.

The Definition of “Great”

Based on the English dictionary, ‘great’ can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun. Great describes something considerably large in extent, intensity, amount, or degree. It also means someone or something powerful, distinguished, or important. You may also use great to refer to the ability or quality that is considered above average.

As an adjective:

• Our room had a great ocean view from the window.
• The great American leaders contributed to the betterment of the country.
• He deserves appreciation for his great academic achievements.

As an adverb:

• I think you performed great in the dancing competition.
• We didn’t play that great in the final match.
• Things are not going great for me in the past few days.

As a Noun:

• All the greats of the film industry were present at the award ceremony.
• He is amongst the greats in football.

Great Synonym — Exploring Words with Similar Meanings

Impressive

Impressive is having the ability to evoke admiration or respect through skill or quality. It originated from the Latin word impressus, meaning “imprint or stamp,” and the initial meaning of impressive was “capable of being easily impressed.” 

• His communication skills are pretty impressive.
• The child has impressive vocabulary knowledge for her age.

Prominent

Prominent refers to someone or something important or well-known among people. It could also mean something is easily noticeable.

• She is a prominent singer in the music industry.
• The trophy was placed on a prominent pedestal.

Significant

Significant means something or someone important that deserves attention. It could also refer to something large that is easily noticeable. The word ‘significant’ may also denote having a special or particular meaning.

• There was a significant increase in sales in this quarter.
• This is a significant event in the history of our nation.

Considerable

Considerable means something is notably big in size or large in amount or extent. It also refers to a distinguished person with merit or respect.

• He has considerable English poem writing skills.
• We could save a considerable amount of money for our new house.

Large

Large refers to something relatively great in size or amount. It also implies that something has no limitations in terms of relevance or scope.

• The conference hall was very large and designed in a contemporary style.
• We need to consider the large view of the situation.

Great Antonyms — Exploring Words with Opposite Meanings

Little

Little means something is small in size, degree, or amount. It could also refer to a short duration of time or to emphasize that something is only to a small extent.

• We saw little huts on our way home.
• She can remember every little good and bad detail of any event.

Small

Small is defined as something small in size than usual or fewer in number. It also means something is of little importance.

• We lived in a small house away from the town.
• We still have a few small issues to deal with before continuing work.

Minor

Minor refers to something which is not as great of importance as something else. It could also mean having a low rank. You may also use this word to denote something less serious.

• I am not worried about such a minor injury.
• She only has a minor role in the film, but she is happy.

Modest

Modest refers to a person who is discreet of his achievements or capabilities. It also means something limited or relatively small in size or amount.

• Despite the modest size, we are happy in our home.
• She is always very modest about her skills and achievements.

Poor

Poor refers to something which is of low standard or quality. It also means having little money to meet the basic requirements or live comfortably in society.

• We opened a charity foundation for the poor families in our region.
• His poor performance led the whole team to lose the competition.

To Wrap Up

There are numerous synonyms of the word ‘great’ in English that you can choose to improve your writing. This article is focused on only the most common synonyms of the word.

It also discusses the popular antonyms that you may need to refer to as an opposite meaning of ‘great.’ The examples are there to help you learn the correct context of using each word in a sentence.