wonderful
47 synonyms and 17 antonyms for wonderful, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Extremely good, impressive, or pleasing.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use wonderful
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English wundorful, literally "full of wonder" — from wonder plus -ful.
Full origin of wonderful →Frequently asked questions
What does “wonderful” mean?
The word “wonderful” means extremely good, impressive, or pleasing. In plain terms, excellent, delightful, or admirable.
How do you pronounce “wonderful”?
“Wonderful” is pronounced WUHN-duhfl (/ˈwʌndɚfl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “wonderful” in a sentence?
Here is “wonderful” used in a sentence: “We had a wonderful time at the wedding.”
What is another word for “wonderful”?
Words with a similar meaning to “wonderful” include awesome, based, beat, beatific, bewildering and blissful.
What is the opposite of “wonderful”?
The opposite of “wonderful” — its antonyms — are boring, common, disgusting, dull and horrible.
What part of speech is “wonderful”?
“Wonderful” is an adjective.
Where does the word “wonderful” come from?
The word “wonderful” comes from Old English. From Old English wundorful, literally "full of wonder" — from wonder plus -ful.
Is “wonderful” a common word?
“Wonderful” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between wonderful and amazing?
Both are strong words of praise. Wonderful stresses how pleasing, delightful, or good something is, leaving a warm feeling. Amazing stresses surprise or astonishment, that something exceeds expectations. A wonderful meal was thoroughly enjoyable; an amazing feat was hard to believe. They often overlap, but the emphasis differs slightly.
Is wonderful a positive word?
Yes, wonderful is strongly positive. It expresses warm approval and delight, describing something extremely good, impressive, or pleasing, as in 'a wonderful holiday' or 'wonderful news'. It is one of the most enthusiastic everyday compliments in English, though heavy sarcasm can occasionally flip its meaning in casual speech.
What is the opposite of wonderful?
The opposite of wonderful is terrible or awful, describing something extremely bad rather than pleasing. Other antonyms include dreadful, horrible, and appalling. Milder opposites, such as ordinary, dull, or unremarkable, simply mean something falls short of being impressive without being outright bad.
Is wonderful too strong for everyday use?
Not at all. Although wonderful expresses high praise, it is common in ordinary conversation, from 'a wonderful idea' to 'you look wonderful'. Because it is used so freely, it can sound routine rather than extreme. For genuinely rare events, some writers choose a fresher word to keep the praise vivid.