Great vs. Excellent — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 17, 2024
Great implies high quality or degree; excellent denotes outstanding or superior quality.
Difference Between Great and Excellent
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term "great" is used to describe something that is considerably above average in quality, intensity, or degree. It signifies a high level of achievement or quality but does not necessarily imply the highest possible standard. For example, a great performance might mean one that surpasses many others, but it leaves room for improvement or competition. On the other hand, "excellent" is used to denote something that is of outstanding or superior quality, often suggesting that it meets the highest standards. An excellent performance implies a level of achievement that is difficult to surpass, indicating not only skill and talent but also a degree of perfection.
In the context of feedback or evaluation, calling something great often acknowledges its merits and the effort behind it, recognizing its distinction from what is considered average or normal. Meanwhile, labeling something as excellent typically suggests that it has reached a pinnacle of achievement, setting a benchmark for others to aspire to. This distinction can influence expectations; for instance, in academic grading, "excellent" may correspond to the top grade, while "great" might denote a strong performance that, while commendable, does not reach the utmost level of excellence.
The choice between using "great" and "excellent" can also reflect the speaker's or writer's perception of quality, influenced by their standards, expectations, and the context in which they are making the assessment. In everyday language, these terms are often used interchangeably, but the slight nuance between them becomes more significant in formal evaluations or competitive contexts.
The impact of these adjectives extends beyond mere descriptions, influencing how achievements, works of art, performances, and other aspects are perceived by others. While "great" is a powerful compliment, "excellent" often carries a stronger endorsement, suggesting a unanimous recognition of quality or achievement that is notably above the norm.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Significantly above average in quality or degree.
Outstanding or superior quality, meeting the highest standards.
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Connotation
High achievement, but leaves room for improvement.
Indicates a level of perfection or top-tier achievement.
Context
Acknowledges merit and distinction from the average.
Suggests benchmark-setting performance or quality.
Expectations
Strong performance, commendable effort.
The pinnacle of achievement, often hard to surpass.
Use in Evaluation
Can denote a strong but not the top achievement.
Used for the highest level of achievement or quality.
Compare with Definitions
Great
Commendable or praiseworthy.
It was a great effort, considering the challenges.
Excellent
Superior quality or outstanding.
The chef prepared an excellent meal that wowed the guests.
Great
High degree or intensity.
There was great excitement about the new project.
Excellent
Unanimously recognized for quality.
The performance received excellent reviews from all critics.
Great
Very good, but not the best.
The movie was great, but not a masterpiece.
Excellent
Hard to surpass in quality or achievement.
The company's service is consistently excellent.
Great
Widely admired or respected.
He is considered a great leader in his field.
Excellent
Top-tier or benchmark-setting.
His skills in negotiation are excellent.
Great
Significantly better than average.
She gave a great speech that impressed many.
Excellent
Reflects a high standard or perfection.
Her report was excellent, earning the highest praise.
Great
Very large in size, extent, or intensity
A great pile of rubble.
A great storm.
Excellent
Extremely good; outstanding
Their results are excellent
The lorry was in excellent condition
Great
Of a larger size than other, similar forms
The great anteater.
Excellent
Used to indicate approval or pleasure
‘What a lovely idea! Excellent!’
Great
Large in quantity or number
A great throng awaited us.
Excellent
Of the highest or finest quality; exceptionally good for its kind
Enjoyed an excellent meal at the restaurant.
Great
Extensive in time or distance
A great delay.
A great way off.
Excellent
(Archaic) Being so to an extreme degree.
Great
Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent
A great crisis.
Great anticipation.
Excellent
Having excelled, having surpassed.
Great
Of outstanding significance or importance
A great work of art.
Excellent
Of higher or the highest quality; splendid.
Great
Chief or principal
The great house on the estate.
Excellent
Exceptionally good of its kind.
Great
Superior in quality or character; noble
A great man who dedicated himself to helping others.
Excellent
Superior in kind or degree, irrespective of moral quality.
Great
Powerful; influential
One of the great nations of the West.
Excellent
(obsolete) Excellently.
Great
Eminent; distinguished
A great leader.
Excellent
Excelling; surpassing others in some good quality or the sum of qualities; of great worth; eminent, in a good sense; superior; as, an excellent man, artist, citizen, husband, discourse, book, song, etc.; excellent breeding, principles, aims, action.
To love . . . What I see excellent in good or fair.
Great
Very good; first-rate
We had a great time at the dance.
Excellent
Superior in kind or degree, irrespective of moral quality; - used with words of a bad significance.
Their sorrows are most excellent.
Great
Very skillful
She is great at algebra.
Excellent
Excellently; eminently; exceedingly.
Great
Enthusiastic
A great lover of music.
Excellent
Of the highest quality;
Made an excellent speech
The school has excellent teachers
A first-class mind
Great
Being one generation removed from the relative specified. Often used in combination
A great-granddaughter.
Great
(Archaic) Pregnant.
Great
Pl. greats or great One that is great
A composer considered among the greats.
Great
A division of most pipe organs, usually containing the most powerful ranks of pipes.
Great
A similar division of other organs.
Great
Very well
Got along great with the teacher.
Great
Used as an intensive with certain adjectives
A great big kiss.
Great
(augmentative) Large, senior high-ranking, intense, extreme, or exceptional
Great
Relatively large in scale, size, extent, number (i.e. having many parts or members) or duration (i.e. relatively long); very big.
A great storm is approaching our shores.
A great assembly
A great wait
Great
Title referring to an important leader.
Alexander the Great
Great
Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.
The great auk
Great
(informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.
Dinner was great.
Great
Intensifying a word or expression, used in mild oaths.
A dirty great smack in the face
Great Scott!
Great
(qualifying nouns of family relationship) Involving more generations than the qualified word implies — as many extra generations as repetitions of the word great (from 1510s). [see Derived terms]
Great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather
Great
Pregnant; large with young; full of.
Great with child
Great with hope
Great
Intimate; familiar.
Great
Extreme or more than usual.
Great worry
Great
Of significant importance or consequence; important.
A great decision
Great
(applied to actions, thoughts and feelings) Arising from or possessing idealism; admirable; superior; commanding; heroic; illustrious; eminent.
A great deed
A great nature
A great history
Great
Impressive or striking.
A great show of wealth
Great
Much in use; favoured.
Poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era.
Great
(applied to persons) Endowed with extraordinary powers; of exceptional talents or achievements; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; remarkable; strong; powerful; mighty; noble.
A great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, writer etc.
Great
Doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale; active or enthusiastic.
What a great buffoon!
He's not a great one for reading.
A great walker
Great
(often followed by 'at') Skilful or adroit.
A great carpenter
You are great at singing.
Great
Expression of gladness and content about something.
Great! Thanks for the wonderful work.
Great
Sarcastic inversion thereof.
Oh, great! I just dumped all 500 sheets of the manuscript all over and now I have to put them back in order.
Great
A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.
Newton and Einstein are two of the greats of the history of science.
Great
(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.
Great
(in combinations such as "two-greats", "three-greats" etc.) An instance of the word "great" signifying an additional generation in phrases expressing family relationships.
My three-greats grandmother.
Great
(informal) Very well in a very satisfactory manner.
Those mechanical colored pencils work great because they don't have to be sharpened.
Great
Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; - opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length.
Great
Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.
Great
Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval.
Great
Superior; admirable; commanding; - applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.
Great
Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.
Great
Holding a chief position; elevated: lofty: eminent; distinguished; foremost; principal; as, great men; the great seal; the great marshal, etc.
He doth object I am too great of birth.
Great
Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle.
Great
Pregnant; big (with young).
The ewes great with young.
Great
More than ordinary in degree; very considerable in degree; as, to use great caution; to be in great pain.
We have allGreat cause to give great thanks.
Great
Older, younger, or more remote, by single generation; - often used before grand to indicate one degree more remote in the direct line of descent; as, great-grandfather (a grandfather's or a grandmother's father), great-grandson, etc.
Great
The whole; the gross; as, a contract to build a ship by the great.
Great
Relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind;
A great juicy steak
A great multitude
The great auk
A great old oak
A great ocean liner
A great delay
Great
More than usual;
Great expectations
Great worry
Great
(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation;
Our distinguished professor
An eminent scholar
A great statesman
Great
Of major significance or importance;
A great work of art
Einstein was one of the outstanding figures of the 20th century
Great
Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect;
A great crisis
Had a great stake in the outcome
Great
Very good;
He did a bully job
A neat sports car
Had a great time at the party
You look simply smashing
Great
Uppercase;
Capital A
Great A
Many medieval manuscripts are in majuscule script
Great
Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
An avid sports fan
A great walker
An eager beaver
Great
In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child
Common Curiosities
Why might someone choose to say "great" instead of "excellent"?
They might use "great" to acknowledge high quality while implying that there is still room for improvement or that it does not quite reach the highest standard.
Is "excellent" better than "great"?
Yes, "excellent" typically denotes a higher level of quality or achievement than "great," suggesting superiority or perfection.
Can something be great but not excellent?
Yes, something can be considered great if it is significantly above average but might not reach the outstanding quality required to be deemed excellent.
How do I decide whether to use "great" or "excellent"?
The choice depends on the level of quality or achievement being described. Use "excellent" for the highest standards and "great" for high but not the utmost levels.
Does the distinction between "great" and "excellent" matter in everyday conversation?
In everyday language, the distinction might not be critically important and the terms are often used interchangeably. However, in formal evaluations or when specific standards are being applied, the difference becomes more significant.
Can an experience be both great and excellent?
While it might seem contradictory, an experience can be described as both if it encompasses aspects that are both significantly above average and of superior quality, depending on the criteria being applied.
Are "great" and "excellent" subjective?
Yes, the perception of what constitutes "great" or "excellent" can vary greatly among individuals, influenced by personal standards, expectations, and experiences.
How do cultural differences impact the perception of "great" vs. "excellent"?
Cultural factors can influence how these terms are perceived and used, with different cultures placing varying emphasis on modesty, perfection, and the expression of praise.
How does context affect the use of "great" vs. "excellent"?
Context is key; in competitive or academic settings, "excellent" may denote the top achievement, while "great" signifies a level just below. In informal contexts, the distinction may be less clear or less important.
Can feedback be constructive if it describes something as "excellent"?
Yes, even if feedback is overwhelmingly positive, it can still be constructive by suggesting ways to maintain that level of excellence or to apply it in new areas.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
