awesome

adjective

awe·some ˈȯ-səm

Synonyms of awesome next

: inspiring awe

an awesome task/responsibility

a place of awesome beauty

informal : terrific, extraordinary

had an awesome time at the concert

: expressive of awe

awesome tribute

Did you know?

Is the word awesome overused?

Many object to the use of awesome to describe something (such as a sandwich) that does not literally elicit feelings of awe. Yet the same people who insist that awesome should be used only of weighty subjects (Niagara Falls, man landing on the moon) will happily use the word awful in reference to something (such as a mess) that falls distinctly short of being “full of awe.” This weakened sense was once considered improper—in fact, complaints about it persisted through the early decades of the 20th century.

The change in meaning that awesome is undergoing may be more recent than that of awful, but both words are treading the same path. For evidence that such change is normal, we need look no further than awe, which originally meant “terror” and now carries the weaker sense “wonder.”

Examples of awesome in a Sentence

the awesome sight of an erupting volcano It was an awesome responsibility. We had an awesome task ahead of us. We had an awesome time at the concert. You did an awesome job on that project. The movie was totally awesome.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Winning the 2024 World Series is an awesome achievement that will always be remembered and celebrated. —

Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024 The Webb telescope trained its awesome eye on it for 14 hours total, spread across three months. —

Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024 Its curved and rounded edges just feel awesome in my hands. —

Scott Kramer, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 Amazon's annual Holiday Beauty Haul is a great event to find awesome stocking stuffers at a discount. —

Nora Colomer, Fox News, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for awesome