Wonderful: meaning, definitions and examples

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wonderful

 

[ ˈwʌndərfʊl ]

Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

description

inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous

Synonyms

amazing, excellent, fantastic, marvelous, superb.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
wonderful

Appropriate for expressing general admiration or praise in a variety of situations, be it events, experiences, people, or objects.

  • Your presentation was wonderful
  • We had a wonderful time at the park
marvelous

Conveys admiration and wonder, typically for something very pleasing or impressive. It is slightly more formal.

  • The new exhibit at the museum is marvelous
  • She did a marvelous job organizing the event
fantastic

Informal and often used enthusiastically. Great to describe very appealing or highly satisfying experiences or outcomes.

  • That movie was fantastic! You have a fantastic idea
amazing

Often used to convey a sense of surprise or awe. Suitable for describing something that exceeds expectations or is extraordinary.

  • The fireworks show was amazing
  • She has an amazing voice
excellent

Best for highlighting high quality or outstanding performance, especially in more formal or evaluative contexts.

  • You did an excellent job on your report
  • The food at the restaurant was excellent
superb

Indicates high quality and excellence, often in more formal or sophisticated contexts. It denotes something very impressive.

  • The pianist gave a superb performance
  • The service at the hotel was superb

Examples of usage

  • It was a wonderful day at the beach.
  • She has a wonderful voice.
  • The movie was wonderful - I highly recommend it.
Context #2 | Adjective

emotional response

causing a feeling of joy, satisfaction, or happiness

Synonyms

delightful, enjoyable, happy, joyful, pleasing.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
wonderful

Used to describe something that is extremely good or pleasant, often surprising.

  • The view from the top of the mountain is wonderful.
  • She had a wonderful time at the concert.
joyful

Used to express deep happiness often associated with celebration or profound satisfaction.

  • The joyful celebrations lasted all night.
  • Her joyful smile lit up the room.
delightful

Used when something is charming and brings a lot of pleasure or joy.

  • The meal was delightful.
  • Their company was absolutely delightful.
happy

Used to describe a feeling of joy or contentment, often a general mood.

  • She felt happy on her wedding day.
  • He is a happy child.
pleasing

Used when something is gratifying and satisfies the senses or the mind.

  • The painting is very pleasing to the eye.
  • The music had a pleasing melody.
enjoyable

Used when something gives a lot of pleasure and is fun to do.

  • The movie was really enjoyable.
  • Thank you for an enjoyable evening.

Examples of usage

  • I had a wonderful time at the party.
  • She gave me a wonderful surprise.
  • It's wonderful to see you again.

Translations

Translations of the word "wonderful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 maravilhoso

🇮🇳 शानदार

🇩🇪 wunderbar

🇮🇩 luar biasa

🇺🇦 чудовий

🇵🇱 wspaniały

🇯🇵 素晴らしい (subarashī)

🇫🇷 merveilleux

🇪🇸 maravilloso

🇹🇷 harika

🇰🇷 멋진 (meotjin)

🇸🇦 رائع (ra'iʿ)

🇨🇿 úžasný

🇸🇰 úžasný

🇨🇳 精彩 (jīngcǎi)

🇸🇮 čudovit

🇮🇸 dásamlegur

🇰🇿 керемет

🇬🇪 საოცარი (saots'ari)

🇦🇿 möhtəşəm

🇲🇽 maravilloso

Etymology

The word 'wonderful' originated from Middle English 'wonderfull', which was a combination of 'wonder' and the suffix '-ful' meaning 'full of'. It has been used in English since the 13th century and has evolved to its current meaning of something inspiring delight or admiration.

See also: wonder, wonderfully.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,778, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.