awesome en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈɔ.səm/ (Scotland)
- /ˈɔ.səm/ without the cot–caught merger
- audio cot-caught
- /ˈɑ.səm/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /ˈɔːsəm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈoːsəm/ (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
Etymology
From awe + -some; compare earlier awful and Middle English eiful (“inducing fright or terror, terrible”), from Old English eġeful (“fearful; inspiring awe”). The oldest meaning of awesome is of “something which inspires awe”, but the word is now also a common colloquial expression. It was originally so used in the United States, where it had featured strikingly in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!, as used by Japan's Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to describe the "awesome" industrial potential of the United States. Consequently, as the word popularly became an expression for anything superb, in its original meaning it has tended to be replaced by the related word, awe-inspiring.
Meanings
-
Causing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement.
Certainly it is awesome to think of a nation that brings its powers of persuasion against a woman's right to conceive.
1984 February 14, John Corry, “Birth Curb in China”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:I think that the most fearsome attribute of these awesome creatures is their silence and the fact that one never sees them—nothing but those baleful eyes glaring unblinkingly out of the dark void behind.
1913 January–May, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Gods of Mars”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as “The Eyes in the Dark”, in The Gods of Mars, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., September 1918, →OCLC, page 227:And now it appeared that there was a mysterious Queen clothed by rumour with dread and wonderful attributes, and commonly known by the impersonal, but, to my mind, rather awesome title of She.
1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:The tsunami was awesome in its destructive power.
The waterfall in the middle of the rainforest was an awesome sight.
“Congratulations, President Trump,” Netanyahu said in a video statement immediately following the U.S. attack. “Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.”
2025 June 25, Daniel Estrin, quoting Benjamin Netanyahu, “Israel was once deterred from striking Iran. Now Netanyahu takes a victory lap”, in NPR:
-
(Australia, Canada, US, colloquial) Excellent, exciting, remarkable.
That was awesome!
Awesome, dude!
Awesome! Totally awesome! All right, Hamilton!
1982, Cameron Crowe, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, spoken by Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| awesomer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| orsum | Australia, New-Zealand, alternative, slang | lexicographic | |
| awesomest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more awesome | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most awesome | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
horrific · terrible · mediocre · horrible · aweless
Deriveds
awesomitude · awesomely · awesome sauce · awesomeosity · awesomeness · unawesome · awesometastic · awesomazing · gnarlsome · awesomenessness
Relateds
awful · awe-inspiring · surprising
Synonyms
chur · outstanding · top-drawer · top-notch · top-shelf · delightful · awesomesauce · bang-up · mythic · swell · wicked · excellent · splendent · spectacular · poggers · bomb · kicking · sterling · celestial · sick · priceless · unbelievable · glorious · beatific · fierce · peak · major · exceptional · divine · exquisite · killer · far out · sensational · commendable · slick · stupefying · marvelous · tubular · wicked pissah · awesome · cool · sensational · terrific · based · cher · heavenly · rum · awe-inspiring · cock on · blissful · sweet · outstanding · fabulous · awe-inspiring · grand · tight · awe-inspiring · bully · fire · spot on · based · choice · glorious · grandiose · fireball · beatific · amazing · kick-ass · sublime · wonderful · magnificent · stellar · incredible · phat · powerful · brilliant · blissful · crackerjack · fantabulosa · super · great · neat · tuff · heavenly · unreal · lash · selcouth · dank · admirable · delightful · heavenlike · topping · extraordinary · wonderful · groovy · splendid · radical · chronic · astounding · immaculate · heavenlike · studly · peng · surpassing · excellent · superb · pog · cool · terrific · fire · great · divine · top · spiffing · goshwow · awful · wondrous · celestial · well-done · ace · stupendous · beneship · fly · awesome · top-hole · lautitious · first-rate · finger-lickin' good · dope · magnificent · out of sight · gnarly · incredible · hellagood · marvellous · pukka · broyal · extraordinary · worldie · bewildering · bitching · copacetic · rad · exemplary · fantastic · gnarly · lit · righteous · fab · goated · goated · impressive · top-of-the-range · stunning · badass · nang · inspiring · frabjous · epic · grouse · phenomenal · bang on · mystifying · remarkable · dope · majestic · phenomenal · rad · lit · tight · superior · enchanting · cushty · def · amazing · slap-up · quality · wicked · impeccable
Translations (136)
de toll (excellent, exciting) · mk во́збудлив (excellent, exciting) · cs úžasný (excellent, exciting) · fi vaikuttava (causing awe or terror) · eo bonega (excellent, exciting) · fi mahtava (excellent, exciting) · nl beangstigend (causing awe or terror) · tr müthiş (causing awe or terror) · ru потря́сный (excellent, exciting) · es asombroso (causing awe or terror) · hy ահեղ (causing awe or terror) · ja クール (excellent, exciting) · cmn 了不起 (excellent, exciting) · ko 쩐다 (excellent, exciting) · cmn 酷斃 /酷毙 (excellent, exciting) · cs úděsný (causing awe or terror) · ru кла́ссный (excellent, exciting) · es una pasada (excellent, exciting) · nb kjempebra (excellent, exciting) · nl indrukwekkend (excellent, exciting) · lt bauginantis (causing awe or terror) · sh do jaja (excellent, exciting) · it splendido (excellent, exciting) · mi kaiora (causing awe or terror) · it magnifico (excellent, exciting) · ro înspăimântător (causing awe or terror) · eo impona (causing awe or terror) · de schrecklich (excellent, exciting) · ja すごい (excellent, exciting) · de furchterregend (causing awe or terror) · lt stulbinantis (excellent, exciting) · pl bajer (excellent, exciting) · hu félelmetes (causing awe or terror) · ca esbalaïdor (causing awe or terror) · ms gerek (excellent, exciting) · ca fantàstic (excellent, exciting) · cmn 牛 (excellent, exciting) · ja 素晴らしい (excellent, exciting) · es shido (excellent, exciting) · fr génial (excellent, exciting) · de schrecklich (causing awe or terror) · id keren (excellent, exciting) · mi wanawana (causing awe or terror) · ro formidabil (excellent, exciting) · cmn 棒 (excellent, exciting) · fr magnifique (excellent, exciting) · ru круто́й (excellent, exciting) · pl super (excellent, exciting) · cs strašný (causing awe or terror) · mi ka wani kē (excellent, exciting) · ru внуша́ющий страх (causing awe or terror) · sv fruktansvärd (causing awe or terror) · sv imponerande (causing awe or terror) · eo terura (causing awe or terror) · el καταπληκτικός (excellent, exciting) · ms terbaik (excellent, exciting) · pt aterrador (causing awe or terror) · ms gempak (excellent, exciting) · lt nuostabus (excellent, exciting) · sv fantastisk (excellent, exciting) · vi tuyệt vời (excellent, exciting) · vi đáng sợ (causing awe or terror) · fr impressionnant (causing awe or terror) · ru здо́рово (excellent, exciting) · tr harika (excellent, exciting) · fr épatant (excellent, exciting) · es piola (excellent, exciting) · de furchteinflößend (causing awe or terror) · lou byin (excellent, exciting) · yue 正 (excellent, exciting) · tr süper (excellent, exciting) · bn ফাটাফাটি (excellent, exciting) · da fantastisk (excellent, exciting) · mk неверо́јатен (excellent, exciting) · hy հիանալի (excellent, exciting) · es bacán (excellent, exciting) · ja 素敵 (excellent, exciting) · nn kjempebra (excellent, exciting) · pt apavorante (causing awe or terror) · es mostro (excellent, exciting) · el καταπληκτικός (causing awe or terror) · io impresoza (excellent, exciting) · ru устраша́ющий (causing awe or terror) · cmn 令人敬畏的 (causing awe or terror) · ru потряса́ющий (excellent, exciting) · mk јак (excellent, exciting) · yue 勁 /劲 (excellent, exciting) · cs skvělý (excellent, exciting) · ru ужаса́ющий (causing awe or terror) · de beeindruckend (excellent, exciting) · cmn 酷 (excellent, exciting) · pt incrível (excellent, exciting) · hu óriási (excellent, exciting) · mi kauanuanu (causing awe or terror) · tr huşu veren (excellent, exciting) · cmn 厲害 /厉害 (excellent, exciting) · sq birinxhi (excellent, exciting) · it fantastico (excellent, exciting) · nl angstaanjagend (causing awe or terror) · eo mojosega (excellent, exciting) · pl zdumiewający (causing awe or terror) · es pulento (excellent, exciting) · it impressionante (causing awe or terror) · sv hiskelig (causing awe or terror) · pl bajerancki (excellent, exciting) · cmn 牛逼 (excellent, exciting) · vi dễ sợ (causing awe or terror) · ro uimitor (excellent, exciting) · de großartig (excellent, exciting) · vi đáng kinh sợ (causing awe or terror) · fi pelottava (causing awe or terror) · ceb kuyaw (causing awe or terror) · es pulenta (excellent, exciting) · ru клёвый (excellent, exciting) · sv enastående (excellent, exciting) · da frygtelig (causing awe or terror) · vi tuyệt cú mèo (excellent, exciting) · la verendus (causing awe or terror) · hu klassz (excellent, exciting) · eo miriga (causing awe or terror) · de fürchterlich (causing awe or terror) · da enestående (excellent, exciting) · nv nizhóní (excellent, exciting) · da grum (excellent, exciting) · es paja (excellent, exciting) · pl niesamowity (causing awe or terror) · pl zajebisty (excellent, exciting) · tr korkunç (causing awe or terror) · sv grym (excellent, exciting) · lou vayan (excellent, exciting) · fi mahtava (causing awe or terror) · fr terrifiant (causing awe or terror) · de beängstigend (causing awe or terror) · da imponerende (causing awe or terror) · fr formidable (excellent, exciting) · sv jättebra (excellent, exciting)