50 Ways To Say Something Is “Good”

There’s nothing wrong with the word “good.” Many English speakers find it to be … well, good. But if you want to expand your vocabulary, here are 50 synonyms that indicate satisfaction, pleasure, and enjoyment. Some would argue these words are better than “good.”

No, it’s not the steak sauce. “A1” describes something in excellent condition. For instance, a car in pristine condition with the latest technology could be called an “A1 vehicle.”

“Adequate,” meaning “made equal to,” is a term from the early 17th century. It refers to something deemed acceptable in the eye of the beholder.

“Admirable” comes from late Middle English and is derived from the Latin admirabilis, meaning “to be wondered at.” It suggests something is deserving of respect and approval.

If something is “all right,” it’s perfectly pleasant or suitable. The word can also be written as “alright” — a spelling that developed widespread use at the end of the 19th century.

In Greek and Roman myth, “ambrosia” was the food of the gods. To say something is “ambrosian” is quite the compliment. The word dates to the mid-16th century and comes from the Greek ambrotos, meaning “immortal.”

If someone or something is “amiable,” they may carry themselves in a friendly, pleasant manner. This current use, influenced by the modern French aimable (meaning “trying to please”), dates to the mid-18th century.

“Brilliant” doesn’t just mean “smart” — it also means “very good” in British English. The word appeared in the late 17th century and comes from the French brillant, meaning “shining.”

If something is “commendable,” it’s worthy of your praise. For instance, someone who keeps their emotions in check shows “commendable restraint.”

If someone is “competent,” they have the skills and knowledge to get the job done. The word comes from the Latin verb competere, meaning “be fit or proper.”

“Cracking” is a synonym for “good” across the pond. British people use this term informally to describe something excellent, such as a “cracking good time” out on the town.

An “estimable” thing is considered good, worthy, and deserving of respect. For instance, an “estimable leader” serves the people well.

“Excellent” originated in late Middle English to denote something very good or very bad. In the early 17th century, it developed an exclusively positive connotation.

If something is a desirable model that sets the standard, it’s considered “exemplary,” representing the best of a certain kind. The term appeared in the late 16th century and comes from the Latin exemplum, meaning “sample” or “imitation.”

The Latin prefix exquisit- means “sought after,” which eventually became the late Middle English term “exquisite.” Today, it implies incredible beauty and class.

“Fab” is a 1960s abbreviation for the word “fabulous,” meaning “wonderful.” “Fabulous” is a late Middle English term derived from the Latin fabulosus, meaning “celebrated in fable.”

The word “fine” implies very good quality, as in “fine dining” and “fine china.” It comes from the Latin finire, meaning “to finish.”

You can thank Colonel Sanders and KFC for popularizing the term “finger-licking.” It means “tasty” and “delicious” — as in, you’ll be left licking the remnants off your fingers, though the term can also be used figuratively.

The term “first-rate” suggests that something is of excellent quality. You can use it to describe a talented musician, a meal that delights the taste buds, and so on.

To say something is “fitting” implies it did a suitable job of meeting expectations. The object in question might not blow you away, but it wasn’t necessarily expected to.

No list would be complete without this common synonym, which is a way to emphasize just how good something is. “Great” comes from the Old English grēat, meaning “big.”

If something is “hale and hearty,” it’s in good, robust condition. “Hale” comes from the Old English hāl, meaning “whole.”

This term first appeared in the U.S. in the mid-19th century. The first part is from the Dutch honk, meaning “home,” though the origins of “dory” are uncertain. The hyphenated phrase suggests that everything is going well.

If you haven’t experienced something firsthand, you may call it “inviting.” This word anticipates something good, luring you in with promise.

“Laudable” objects are worthy of praise for their quality. The word originated in late Middle English from the Latin laudabilis, meaning “praise.”

The word “magnificent” comes from the Latin magnificent-, meaning “making great.” It strongly suggests that something is impressive for its quality or beauty.

“Marvelous” describes anything extremely good or pleasing. If a movie makes you happy, you may review it as “marvelous” — even if it has little to do with Marvel superheroes.

Anything “meritorious” deserves praise. For instance, the heroic actions of a first responder may be considered “meritorious” and worthy of an award.

In the 1840s, the word “OK” developed widespread use as the campaign slogan of President Martin Van Buren. His nickname of “Old Kinderhook” was shortened to “OK” and said as a sign of support: “OK is OK.”

The roof of your mouth is called the “palate,” and if something is “palatable,” then it’s acceptable or satisfactory, whether you eat it or not. This word can also be used to describe food that delights your palate.

Even those born outside the Peach State of Georgia may say “everything is peachy” when things are going well. It’s similar to the phrase “peachy keen,” which was coined in the 1950s.

If something is “peerless,” it’s considered unrivaled, with no peers to compete with its greatness. For example, Albert Einstein may be considered a “peerless theoretical physicist.”

“Piquant” comes from the French for “stinging, biting,” but it has a positive connotation in English. In a restaurant, it refers to a flavor that tingles the taste buds, and it’s also used generally to describe anything that excites the mind.

“Premium” is an early-17th-century word derived from various Latin terms meaning “booty” or “reward.” Something “premium” is regarded as especially good or valuable.

A “prime” steak is of the highest quality. This word expresses excellence, from the Latin prima, meaning “first.”

“Quality” is what we call something that is made well or a job that is done right. The word comes from the Latin qualis, meaning “of such a kind.”

“Rad” is a 1980s slang abbreviation of “radical,” meaning “really good,” as in, “That person’s style is really rad.” “Radical” comes from the Latin for “root.”

“Satisfactory” means “to fulfill all expectations.” This term comes from the Latin word satisfacere, meaning “to content.”

“Scrumptious” is a mid-19th-century term of unknown origin. Despite its mysterious coinage, it now implies something is attractive or tasty.

Across the pond, you may hear “smashing” as informal slang among Brits. It’s used as a synonym for “wonderful.”

“Solid” suggests something is dependable or reliable. You can also say you “did someone a solid,” meaning you helped them out in a good way. It comes from the Latin solidus, related to salvus, meaning “safe.”

The word “splendid” originated in the early 17th century from the French splendide, meaning “shine.” It’s often used to express that something is quite impressive.

“Sterling” refers to former British currency, and as such, it is used to describe any person or thing that’s considered valuable. You may say someone did a “sterling job” if they perform admirably at work.

The word “superb” dates to the 16th century and comes from the Latin superbus, meaning “proud” or “magnificent.” Today, it implies excellence.

The word “superlative” is usually found in high school yearbooks to describe the classmate “most likely to…” do something or another. It refers to something of the highest quality and comes from the Latin superlatus, meaning “carried beyond.”

Though as slang it’s a bit dated, “swell” has been used as an alternative for “very good” since the late 18th century. The word was, and still is, primarily used in North American English.

If something is in “tip-top” condition, it’s of a very high class. A sprinter who outlasts their competitors may be referred to as being in “tip-top shape.”

The word “toothsome” describes a meal that looks tasty, but it’s also used in nonculinary contexts to say someone or something looks good.

“Par” is a golf term for the expected amount of strokes on any given hole. Saying something is “up to par” implies it meets expectations.

“Wonderful” things are generally considered to be pleasurable. The word comes from the late Old English word wunderfull, meaning “full of wonder.”

If something is “worthy,” it merits recognition. The word comes from the Dutch waard, essentially meaning “good enough.”