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
Etymology
Origin of phenomenal
First recorded in 1815–25; phenomen(on) + -al 1
Explanation
If you think something is amazing, astounding, or marvelous, you can also call it phenomenal. Your dog's phenomenal performance at the agilty competition earned her a blue ribbon — and a handful of biscuits. Phenomenal things aren't just cool — they're truly remarkable and possibly even unique. Your sister's campaign to raise money for cancer research, which amassed a million dollars in two weeks? That's phenomenal. And Serena Williams, having won an unprecedented 23 Grand Slam titles, is without question a phenomenal tennis player. This extraordinary word comes from the relatively ordinary Greek phainomenon, "appearance," and its Proto-Indo-European root bha-, "to shine."
Vocabulary lists containing phenomenal
The Crossover
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Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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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.
Westbrook put up phenomenal individual numbers, averaging a triple-double, but the Thunder limped to a first-round playoff exit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Kildunne remains one of the world's most phenomenal players when it comes to gainline success and metres gained.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
This particular astronaut turned to look at the bright blue planet below and thought: “When we work together, we can accomplish phenomenal things.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
But the industry’s phenomenal rate of growth means AI-related claims have the potential to outpace the limits on that coverage, according to AI and insurance industry insiders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Despite his phenomenal memory, Bobby as an adult could never remember the moves of that game with Pavey.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
