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.
But they are also excellent spooned onto little buns, topped with cheese and baked into mushroom sliders.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
The way you leap from building to building is superb, and feels excellent to control.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
For example: “This is excellent work and we should absolutely have it” and “We should therefore pay for it” ought logically to belong together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Whole-body MRI is an excellent medical tool when used for the right reason, and it has a role for some people with unusually high inherited cancer risk.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
By all reports, the old Phineas was an excellent foreman.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
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.
