adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of excellent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin excellent-, stem of excellēns, present participle of excellere excel
Explanation
Something excellent is very good, great, or high quality: this is one of the best compliments around. Words like extraordinary and exceptional are similar in meaning to excellent. This is a strong word used mainly for things, people, and actions that are much better than average. A B+ on a test isn't bad, but an A is excellent. In basketball, making an all-star team is excellent. Being excellent is difficult and people tend to admire it. People use excellent in another, less specific way sometimes. If you want to say "Cool" or "Good" you might say "Excellent!"
Vocabulary lists containing excellent
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 5
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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.
Despite turmoil in the artificial-intelligence space over the past several months, Sowmdeb Sen, a senior portfolio manager at Silvant Capital Management in Atlanta, said there are still excellent investment opportunities.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
"All the bids we received were excellent and we are sure that the championships in your respective countries will be a huge success," said IWF general secretary Jose Quinones.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
Those properties make it an excellent material for drilling or producing other metals and hard materials, for example in the automotive or aerospace industries, or in mining.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin brings out the score’s color and propulsion, and the excellent Met Opera chorus creates the seething world of the dead, occasionally playing kazoos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
“What excellent howlers! You’ll have to teach us to do it, too,” Pater Lumley said, ruffling Beowulf’s hair.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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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.
