Great vs. Nice — What's the Difference?

Achievement.

Pleasantness.

Intensity.

Satisfaction.

Approval.

Casual approval.

Magnitude.

Agreeableness.

Quality.

Interactions.

Very large in size, extent, or intensity

Nice ( NEESS, French: [nis]; Nissard Occitan: Niça, classical norm, or Nissa, nonstandard, pronounced [ˈnisa]; Italian: Nizza [ˈnittsa]; Ancient Greek: Νίκαια; Latin: Nicaea) is the seventh most populous urban area in France and the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department. The metropolitan area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly 1 million on an area of 744 km2 (287 sq mi).

Of a larger size than other, similar forms

Giving pleasure or satisfaction; pleasant or attractive

Large in quantity or number

(especially of a difference) slight or subtle

Extensive in time or distance

Fastidious; scrupulous.

Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent

A resort city on the French Riviera, near the border with Italy; population 348,721 (2007).

Of outstanding significance or importance

Pleasing and agreeable in nature

Chief or principal

Having a pleasant or attractive appearance

Superior in quality or character; noble

Exhibiting courtesy and politeness

Powerful; influential

Of good character and reputation; respectable.

Eminent; distinguished

Overdelicate or fastidious; fussy.

Very good; first-rate

Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle

Very skillful

Done with delicacy and skill

Enthusiastic

Used as an intensive with and

Being one generation removed from the relative specified. Often used in combination

Wanton; profligate

(Archaic) Pregnant.

Affectedly modest; coy

Pl. greats or great One that is great

Pleasant, satisfactory.

A division of most pipe organs, usually containing the most powerful ranks of pipes.

Of a person: friendly, attractive.

A similar division of other organs.

Respectable; virtuous.

Very well

Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite.

Used as an intensive with certain adjectives

Showing refinement or delicacy, proper, seemly

(augmentative) Large, senior high-ranking, intense, extreme, or exceptional

(obsolete) Silly, ignorant; foolish.

Relatively large in scale, size, extent, number (i.e. having many parts or members) or duration (i.e. relatively long); very big.

Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy.

Title referring to an important leader.

(dated) Having particular tastes; fussy, fastidious.

Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.

(obsolete) Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.

(informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.

Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.

Intensifying a word or expression, used in mild oaths.

(obsolete) Easily injured; delicate; dainty.

(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]

(obsolete) Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.

Pregnant; large with young; full of.

(colloquial) Nicely.

Intimate; familiar.

Used to signify a job well done.

Extreme or more than usual.

Used to signify approval.

Of significant importance or consequence; important.

Niceness.

(applied to actions, thoughts and feelings) Arising from or possessing idealism; admirable; superior; commanding; heroic; illustrious; eminent.

To run a process with a specified (usually lower) priority.

Impressive or striking.

Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate.

Much in use; favoured.

Of trifling moment; unimportant; trivial.

(applied to persons) Endowed with extraordinary powers; of exceptional talents or achievements; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; remarkable; strong; powerful; mighty; noble.

Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy; fastidious in small matters.

Doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale; active or enthusiastic.

Delicate; refined; dainty; pure.

(often followed by 'at') Skilful or adroit.

Apprehending slight differences or delicate distinctions; distinguishing accurately or minutely; carefully discriminating; as, a nice taste or judgment.

Expression of gladness and content about something.

Done or made with careful labor; suited to excite admiration on account of exactness; evidencing great skill; exact; fine; finished; as, nice proportions, nice workmanship, a nice application; exactly or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; as, a nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy.

Sarcastic inversion thereof.

Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a nice party; a nice excursion; a nice day; a nice sauce, etc.

A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.

Pleasant; kind; as, a nice person.

(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.

Well-mannered; well-behaved; as, nice children.

(in combinations such as "two-greats", "three-greats" etc.) An instance of the word "great" signifying an additional generation in phrases expressing family relationships.

A city in southeastern France on the Mediterranean; the leading resort on the French Riviera

(informal) Very well in a very satisfactory manner.

Pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance;

Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; - opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length.

Socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous;

Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.

Done with delicacy and skill;

Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval.

Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted;

Superior; admirable; commanding; - applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.

Noting distinctions with nicety;

Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.

Exhibiting courtesy and politeness;

Holding a chief position; elevated: lofty: eminent; distinguished; foremost; principal; as, great men; the great seal; the great marshal, etc.

Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle.

Pregnant; big (with young).

More than ordinary in degree; very considerable in degree; as, to use great caution; to be in great pain.

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.

The whole; the gross; as, a contract to build a ship by the great.

Relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind;

More than usual;

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation;

Of major significance or importance;

Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect;

Very good;

Uppercase;

Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;

In an advanced stage of pregnancy;

Yes, an experience can be both great and nice, combining elements of high quality or exceptional enjoyment with pleasantness and satisfaction.

Yes, a person can be described as both great and nice, with "great" referring to their achievements or qualities and "nice" to their pleasant demeanor or behavior.

In situations emphasizing mild satisfaction or pleasantness without the need for high impact or exceptional quality, "nice" is preferable.

It depends on the context; being called "great" may be preferred for achievements or talents, while "nice" is valued in social interactions or demeanor.

Something is defined as great when it stands out for its high quality, exceptional merit, or notable impact, surpassing standard expectations, unlike nice, which denotes pleasantness or satisfaction.

Yes, something can transition from nice to great as it exceeds expectations or improves in quality over time.

In professional settings, "great" often relates to achievements or contributions, while "nice" may refer to interpersonal interactions or the work environment.

Use "great" to express high approval or admiration for achievements or quality, and "nice" for milder, pleasant approval of actions or ideas.

Great implies a higher level of excellence and is often used to express admiration or significant achievement, making it more impactful than the more casually positive "nice."

Cultural context can influence perceptions of greatness and niceness, including what is considered exceptional or merely pleasant.

Yes, inanimate objects can be described as either, depending on their quality, design, or the satisfaction they provide.

Feedback can be both, with "great" emphasizing the quality or value of the work and "nice" the manner or approach.

Choose based on the message’s intent: "great" for emphasizing excellence or high approval, and "nice" for conveying pleasantness or general satisfaction.

Overuse can dilute the impact of both terms, especially "great," which relies on a perception of exceptionalism.

Yes, "great" often sets higher expectations due to its association with exceptional quality, whereas "nice" suggests moderate, pleasant expectations.