awesome
Americanadjective
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causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear.
an awesome sight.
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exhibiting or marked by awe; showing reverence, admiration, or fear.
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Slang. very impressive.
That new white convertible is totally awesome.
adjective
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inspiring or displaying awe
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slang excellent or outstanding
Commonly Confused
See awful.
Other Word Forms
- awesomely adverb
- awesomeness noun
Etymology
Origin of awesome
Explanation
An awesome something or someone is amazing, breathtaking, or overwhelming. Like traveling the globe in a hot air balloon or visiting the Taj Mahal. Or, if you're 7, hearing someone burp the alphabet. Awesome popped on the scene around 1600, probably in a church. It first meant “profoundly reverential,” but morphed later into an adjective meaning “inspiring awe.” Flash forward to the 20th century, when awesome transformed once again — this time into an everyday word for "impressive." These days it's synonymous with "outstanding" and "totally cool."
Vocabulary lists containing awesome
Beowulf vocabulary
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myPerspectives 9.5
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President Obama's second inaugural address
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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.
“We’re both not letting him cut it. It’s flowing. He has a 4.0 GPA and is an awesome kid that everyone loves.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026
The rationale for vesting awesome powers in a politically insulated central bank is that sage technocrats will make wise decisions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
In any case, a person with the psychology of a malignant adolescent is unlikely to think very far past the conviction that wielding awesome powers of destruction is cool.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
He said: "I love stories like Macclesfield's. They fill my heart. I though they were awesome and a real tribute to John Rooney and his coaching team."
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
And the hills on the golf course are awesome for sledding.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
