If a product or a presentation is good, it is a good thing, right? Think again.
First of all, the word “good” is an English adjective that is often used to describe something or someone as positive. The function of adjectives is to describe something or someone.
However, because it is used so frequently, the positive meaning of “good” can be lost if you use it all the time. Furthermore, it can even sound boring if you use it too often, so it will lose its positive effect and the thing or person you describe will not be positive at all if you use it often.
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Watch this video by TED-Ed explaining why you should avoid common English words like “good” and “bad” and instead challenge yourself to use a variety of words to describe the situation better.
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So, how can you better say what you mean?
Remember, one of the keys to communicating better in English is to expand your vocabulary. By replacing the basic adjective “good” with another adjective that is even more positive and suitable for the situation you will use a bigger vocabulary. Try to use words that fit better to the situation!
Which words can you say instead of using “good”?
There are many other ways to say “good” when communicating in English that make you sound more convincing and fluent.
*Note: This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
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Below is a list of my top 15 relevant adjectives you can use to better describe things and people at work and in business. These adjectives make your description more specific and interesting. Here is my selection of better ways to say that something or someone is “good” in different business situations.
Click the links on the words to see the full definition, pronunciation and more examples!
If you do not understand a word, you can also look it up by searching it in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary on the right side of this article ->
To describe work
- efficient
Our organization is very efficient.
What does it mean? The organization works in a way that it produces the results without using too much money, material, time, or energy.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪˈfɪʃənt/
The word stress is on the second syllable. Note that there are only 3 syllables in this word.
- valuable
Anna’s contribution in the meeting was very valuable.
What does it mean? What she did in the meeting was very useful and important for the meeting. The adjective “valuable” comes from the noun “value”.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈvæljəbəl/
The word stress is on the first syllable. You do not pronounce the “u”.
- excellent
Wasn’t that an excellent presentation?
What does it mean? The presentation was very good.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈɛksələnt/
The stress is on the first syllable.
- successful
Ben told me about his successful negotiation.
What does it mean? He achieved what he wanted in the negotiation. The negotiation was a success. The adjective “successful” comes from the noun “success”.
How do you pronounce it? /səkˈsɛsfəl/
You stress the second syllable.
To describe ideas and questions
- compelling
She said some compelling things in our last phone call.
What does it mean? What she said was very interesting and makes you pay attention.
How do you pronounce it? /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/
The word stress is on the second syllable.
- brilliant
What a brilliant comment!
What does it mean? The comment is very good, intelligent and impressive.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈbrɪljənt/
You stress the first syllable of the word.
- interesting
The team came up with interesting ideas for the new product.
What does it mean? The ideas are not boring. You want to learn more about them.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/
The stress is on the first syllable. Note that there are only 3 syllables. You do not pronounce the first “e”.
- wonderful
Kristin asked a wonderful question about the book. I think we should remember it.
What does it mean? Her question was very good.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈwʌndərfəl/
The stress is on the first syllable.
- thought-provoking
Your question was really thought-provoking. I will think about how we can do it better.
What does it mean? What he/she said is so interesting that you have to think more about the topic.
How is it pronounced? /ˈθɑːtprəvoʊkɪŋ/
You stress both the first syllable (“thought”) and the second syllable of “provoking”.
To describe personalities
- inspiring
She is a great manager and also an inspiring leader.
What does it mean? The adjective “inspiring” comes from the verb “to inspire”. A person – but also for example in a book – can be inspiring when he/she/it gives you interesting ideas that motivate you to do something or have a better life.
How is it pronounced? /ɪnˈspɑɪərɪŋ/
The stress is on the second syllable.
- charismatic
What a charismatic person!
What does it mean? The person is very charming and others admire him/her. The adjective “charismatic” comes from the noun “charisma”. A person attracts the attention of others and others see him as a leader.
How is it pronounced? /ˌkerəzˈmætɪk/
You stress the third syllable.
To describe abilities
- terrific
She is a terrific public speaker.
What does it mean? She is a great public speaker.
How is it pronounced? /təˈrɪfɪk/
The stress is on the second syllable.
- extraordinary
He has an extraordinary ability to convince people.
What does it mean? He is very good at convincing people. His ability to convince others is special and not normal.
How is it pronounced? /ɪkˈstrɔːdənəri/
The word has five syllables. Note that you do not pronounce the “a” in the second syllable. You stress the second syllable and it is long.
To describe products
- high-quality
We only sell high-quality products in our store.
What does it mean? The products or services are very good or well-made. The quality of the products is very good.
How is it pronounced? /hɑɪˈkwɑːləti/
The stress is on the first syllable of “quality”.
- useful
Skype is a useful service. It saves me a lot of money.
What does it mean? The service is helpful. It helps you to save money and/or time.
How is it pronounced? /ˈjuːsfəl/
There are two syllables. You stress the first syllable and do not pronounce the “e”.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”I5bMw” via=”yes” ]Say these words instead of “good” in English [/ctt]
How to learn the vocabulary
Here you can see the flashcards of the 15 words presented above. You can listen to, study and memorize the vocabulary using the flashcards, and then test yourself using these flashcards.
Remember to study the words and repeat them regularly. You can also these free tools to practice your pronunciation
Here is a study set for you to learn:
Here you can study the spelling:
You can study the spelling and pronunciation, test yourself, and save the flashcards on Quizlet here:
Happy learning!
Now we would like to hear from you
Which one of these will you use the next time you want to describe something as “good”?
Choose 1-2 of the adjectives from the list and write a sentence with them. Share your sentences in the comments below!
I look forward to reading your creative comments!
Further reading:
Use these 20 English words instead of “very”
You can call it excellent, fine, enjoyable, and splendid. But that’s not all—you might call it awesome, great, admirable, and pleasing. If you’re talking about high-quality food and drink, however, you might use fine and excellent instead of good, but you could also say it’s choice, superior, or even exquisite.
What is a stronger word than good?
adj.pleasant, fine. adj.moral, virtuous. adj.competent, skilled. adj.useful, adequate. adj.reliable; untainted.
What are 5 synonyms for happy?
synonyms for happy
- cheerful.
- contented.
- delighted.
- ecstatic.
- elated.
- joyous.
- overjoyed.
- pleased.
What is a really long word for awesome?
What is another word for awesome?
| remarkable | magnificent |
|---|---|
| wondrous | amazing |
| astounding | incredible |
| stunning | astonishing |
| awe-inspiring | breathtaking |
What is a big word for excited?
nervous, enthusiastic, delighted, eager, disturbed, agitated, passionate, hysterical, annoyed, thrilled, moved, disconcerted, inflamed, provoked, stimulated, wired, animated, charged, stirred, ruffled.
Is amazing better than excellent?
As adjectives the difference between excellent and amazing is that excellent is of the highest quality; splendid while amazing is causing wonder and amazement; possessing uniquely wonderful qualities.
What are good synonyms for the word good?
Synonyms for good in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for good. 443 synonyms for good: excellent, great, fine, pleasing, capital, choice, crucial, acceptable, pleasant
What are good synonyms, good antonyms in free Thesaurus?
Synonyms for good in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for good. 443 synonyms for good: excellent, great, fine, pleasing, capital, choice, crucial, acceptable, pleasant, worthy, first-class, divine, splendid, satisfactory…. What are synonyms for good?
Which is the best synonym for the word well?
Synonyms. good-naturedly; well; cheerfully; amiably; indulgently; tolerantly; without offence
Which is the best synonym for the word beautiful?
1 aesthetic 2 (also esthetic or aesthetical or esthetical), 3 attractive, 4 beauteous, 5 beautiful, 6 bonny 7 (also bonnie) 8 [ chiefly British], 9 comely, 10 cute, 11 drop-dead, 12 fair, 13 fetching, 14 good-looking, 15 goodly, 16 gorgeous, 17 handsome, 18 knockout, 19 likely, 20 lovely,
“Good” is dull and unimaginative. People often use “good” as a lazy replacement for a more appropriate word. Custom Writing have created an excellent infographic that lists 200 words you can use instead of “good”. For instance, to describe taste, use “scrumptious” or “delicious”. To describe a performance, use “stellar” or “captivating”. Know more in the infographic below.
So, did you find this infographic good or ______ ? Share this post and voice your views in the comments below.
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2 min
Updated: January 29th, 2023
Have you ever read a book and was impressed with the wide diversity of synonyms the author uses instead of “good?” Do you want to obtain a vocabulary as rich as the writers and poets have? Well, this task is quite challenging.
Probably, one of the most often-used words to describe the object or the process is “good.” Good weather, good movies, good essay writing service, good music, good life, good this, good that…And don’t convince yourself that you don’t do that.
Indeed:
It’s convenient and time-efficient to use one word over and over again, but is it what a good writer would do? Our team has put together this handy infographic containing 200 powerful words to use instead of “good.” With it, you’ll make your speech and writing more powerful and impactful.
What Words to Use Instead of Good?
The English language is undoubtedly diverse. To find an appropriate synonym for any word, you may have to open a thesaurus and spend time searching for alternatives. This is why you may need our list of other words to use instead of “good.”
Make sure you select carefully. Before picking or coming up with the synonym, examine the context thoroughly. What are you trying to describe? The book, the movie, the person, the place, the food?
For example:
You might say “a savory soup.” Can you use the word “savory” to describe a book? “A savory poem” – does it sound okay? Not really… Thus, the context matters a lot! Take this fact into consideration to avoid the confusing meanings and improperly inserted words.
Don’t wrack your brain looking for words instead of “good”—just choose the one you like from our infographic!
Thank you for visiting our page! We hope you won’t struggle with searching for alternatives because you have 200 powerful words to use instead of “good!” Improve your writing skills with us, and don’t forget to share our tips with your friends!
This might be interesting for you:
About Author
This article was developed by the editorial team of Custom-Writing.org, a professional writing service with 3-hour delivery.
What word can I use instead of good?
You can call it excellent, fine, enjoyable, and splendid. But that’s not all—you might call it awesome, great, admirable, and pleasing. If you’re talking about high-quality food and drink, however, you might use fine and excellent instead of good, but you could also say it’s choice, superior, or even exquisite.
What is a good word for best?
other words for the best
- admirable.
- excellent.
- first-rate.
- magnificent.
- marvelous.
- outstanding.
- splendid.
- stunning.
How do you say something is really good?
Choose — and use — one of these 99+ ways to say “Very Good” to your students.
- You’re on the right track now!
- You’ve got it made.
- Super!
- That’s right!
- That’s good.
- You’re really working hard today.
- You are very good at that.
- That’s coming along nicely.
Is could’ve correct?
And yes, could’ve is an acceptable contraction. Contractions are abbreviations of words blending together. Can’t is a contraction of “cannot.” Won’t is a contraction of “will not.” The proper contracted forms of could/would/should have look like could’ve/would’ve/should’ve.
What is the short form of should not?
Short forms (contractions): I’m, he’s, she’s, don’t, let’s, etc.
| Short forms (contractions) of negatives: don’t, doesn’t, haven’t, etc. | |
|---|---|
| isn’t (= is not) | can’t (= cannot) |
| weren’t (= were not) | wouldn’t (= would not) |
| shouldn’t (= should not) | |
| mustn’t (= must not) |
What is the short form of not ki?
Meaning of ain’t in English. short form of am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not: He ain’t going.
Who has whos?
Who’s is a contraction linking the words who is or who has, and whose is the possessive form of who. They may sound the same, but spelling them correctly can be tricky.
What is the short form of were?
“Were” is simply a plural past-tense form of the verb “are.” To talk about something happening now or in the future, use “we’re”; but to talk about something in the past, use “were.” If you can’t substitute “we are” for the word you’ve written, omit the apostrophe.
Is where’re correct?
That is correct, “where’re” is not proper English. You must always write out the words “where are” separately.
Is why’re a proper word?
“Why are” usually sounds like “why’re”, but we don’t usually write in that way. Yes, but it is not accepted by the RJAL.
Is why’re a real word?
contraction of why are.
Is where are you at correct grammar?
“Where are you at?” is slang, at least in America, whereas “Where are you?” is the proper way to ask where one is. “Where are you at?” is incorrect, ending a sentence with a preposition is a most grievous sin!