excellent

[ek-suh-luhnt]

adjective

1. possessing outstanding quality or superior merit; remarkably good.

   Synonyms: admirable, prime, first-rate, fine, choice, estimable, worthy
   Antonyms: inferior

2. Archaic.,  extraordinary; superior.

excellent

/ ˈɛksələnt /

adjective

1. exceptionally good; extremely meritorious; superior

Other Word Forms

• excellently adverb
• superexcellent adjective
• superexcellently adverb
• unexcellent adjective
• unexcellently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of excellent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin excellent-, stem of excellēns, present participle of excellere excel

Example Sentences

“We set him up with a heated tent, a selection of sandwiches and nibbles and some excellent beverages, and then he attended a board meeting remotely,” McCallum says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The production is excellent, with well-executed set pieces — the plane crash, a tug-of-war between a helicopter and a giant bus, a fight on a train, a fight on a dam.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"We could use Harry all the time, but we need to play without Harry and Jude, the guys are injured. I think we played an excellent first half."

Read more on Barron's

"It was difficult to keep everything going in the second half. We did excellent, we deserved to win."

Read more on BBC

But he does an excellent job of squaring the fading man before his eyes—the soppy grandparent and proud father—with the “shadowy, mysterious, sometimes frightening, often absent” stock figure from his youth.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accomplished 
• admirable 
• attractive 
• distinguished 
• exceptional 
• exemplary 
• exquisite 
• fine 
• finest 
• first-rate 
• good 
• great 
• magnificent 
• outstanding 
• skillful 
• sterling 
• superb 
• superlative