VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

amazing

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
US/əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Causing great surprise, wonder, or disbelief because something is extraordinary.

    Grammar: Common with that/how and with more/most: amazing how quickly it changed.

    Patterns

    • amazing that/how…
    • an amazing thing/person
    • absolutely amazing
    • more/most amazing

    It is amazing how quickly the seedlings grew.

    The view from the lighthouse was absolutely amazing.

    She has an amazing memory for names and faces.

  2. adjectivecomparableinformal

    Informally used as a strong general compliment meaning very good, enjoyable, or impressive.

    Grammar: Often predicative and boosted by really/absolutely; literal surprise may be weaker here.

    Patterns

    • be amazing
    • really/absolutely amazing
    • amazing food/weather/news

    The food at the little café was amazing.

    You got the tickets? That is amazing!

    We had an amazing time at the concert.

Word forms

comparativemore amazing
superlativemost amazing

Common combinations

absolutely amazing
The rescue was absolutely amazing to watch.
amazing achievement
Finishing the marathon was an amazing achievement.
amazing view
From the top floor, there is an amazing view of the harbor.
have an amazing time
The children had an amazing time at the science museum.

Synonyms and how they differ

astonishing
Closer to the literal sense of causing real surprise; amazing is broader and more everyday.
stunning
Can mean beautiful or shocking; it often describes appearance or impact.
wonderful
General praise for something very good, with less emphasis on surprise than amazing.
incredible
Can suggest disbelief as well as admiration; in casual use it is similar to amazing.

Opposites

ordinaryunremarkableboring

Word family

amaze verb
To surprise someone greatly.
amazement noun
A strong feeling of surprise or wonder.
amazed adjective
Feeling great surprise; describes the person affected.
amazingly adverb
In a way that causes surprise.

Commonly confused: amazing or amazed? amazing or amusing?

amazing vs amazed

Amazing causes surprise; amazed describes the person who feels it.

amazing vs amusing

Amusing means entertaining or funny, while amazing means surprising or extremely impressive.

Practice

Choose the best sentence for literal “amazing.”

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “amazing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words