Words / A2

ORS-uh-m/ˈɔːsəm/

Awesome means very impressive or very good (informal): an awesome view, awesome food, that is awesome. Great and brilliant are cousins. Awful means very bad — easy mix-up because both start with aw-. Do not write awesome when you mean awful, or fearsome.

Meaning

Very impressive or very good (informal).

Examples

• “The view from the hill was awesome at sunset.”
• “The waterfall was awesome after the rain.”
• “Thanks — that spare charger is awesome.”

Good to know

an awesome view (informal). Cousins: great, brilliant. Mix-up: awful (very bad).

Near in meaning

great

New