phenomenal
Americanadjective
-
highly extraordinary or prodigious; exceptional.
phenomenal speed.
- Synonyms:
- unprecedented, surpassing, outstanding, uncommon
-
of or relating to phenomena.
-
of the nature of a phenomenon; cognizable by the senses.
adjective
-
of or relating to a phenomenon
-
extraordinary; outstanding; remarkable
a phenomenal achievement
-
philosophy known or perceived by the senses rather than the mind
Other Word Forms
- nonphenomenal adjective
- nonphenomenally adverb
- phenomenality noun
- phenomenally adverb
- semiphenomenal adjective
- semiphenomenally adverb
- unphenomenal adjective
- unphenomenally adverb
Etymology
Origin of phenomenal
First recorded in 1815–25; phenomen(on) + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's amazing that we're actually gonna go around and miss this thing. It was just so close and so to take all of that in was really phenomenal."
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
He may not have made it a hat-trick but he produced a trio of phenomenal performances to take the win.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
“God blessed Joey with phenomenal talent and a big heart to love people and be a beacon of positivity. Truly, he will be missed.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
The Boston Herald noted in a review that DeCarlo “did a phenomenal job on vocals, consistently nailing the money notes and conjuring an uncanny likeness to Delp’s overall style and tone.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
I had such a phenomenal time, I did not want to go home.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
