Synonyms for good: better words for quality, behaviour, feelings, food and work

Why one synonym list never works

Look at five sentences that all use "good":

• It was a good film.
• She is a good teacher.
• The soup is good.
• I feel good today.
• That is a good idea.

Each one needs a different replacement. A film can be gripping. A teacher can be patient or inspiring. Soup can be delicious. You can feel great or well. An idea can be sound or clever.

So the useful question is not "what is another word for good?" but "what kind of good do I mean?" The sections below sort the words by the kind of thing you are describing. Use them as a lookup, not as a list to memorise.

Good quality: things, work and results

When you talk about the quality of an object, a piece of work or a result, pick by level.

A few notes on use:

• Decent and solid are honest, slightly modest words. They fit reviews and everyday talk: a solid result, a decent price.
• Excellent is the safest strong word. It works in a CV, a report or a message to a client.
• Outstanding and exceptional mean better than almost everything else. Keep them for the top of your range.
• Satisfactory sounds cold. In a school report it can mean "only just acceptable". Do not use it as praise unless you mean that.

In the workplace, replace "good work" with the result: a clear report, a well-organised plan, an accurate analysis. The more specific the noun phrase, the less the adjective has to do.

Good people and good behaviour

For people, "good" can mean kind, skilled or honest. These are three different ideas, so use three different words.

Kind and moral

Kind, generous, thoughtful, considerate, honest, decent. He's a decent person means he is honest and fair. She was very considerate means she thought about other people's feelings.

Skilled

Skilled, capable, competent, talented, gifted, experienced. She's a very capable manager. He's a gifted musician.

Be careful with competent. It means "able to do the job", and in a review it can sound like faint praise. If someone is excellent, say so: highly skilled, outstanding.

Well-behaved

Well-behaved, polite, obedient, cooperative. The children were well-behaved. This is the sense of "good" in Be good! or a good dog.

A common learner mistake is to say He is a good person when you mean He is good at maths. The first is about character, the second about skill. English marks the skill with good at: good at languages, good at cooking. You can also say skilled in or talented at.

Good feelings and experiences

To describe how you feel, "good" is fine in speech, but you can be more exact.

• Great, fantastic, wonderful are strong and friendly. I feel great after the walk.
• Well is the traditional answer about health: I'm well, thanks. In everyday speech I'm good, thanks is just as normal, and I'm well sounds a little more formal.
• Relaxed, calm, content describe quiet happiness. I feel content with my choice.
• Pleasant and enjoyable describe an experience. It was a pleasant evening. We had an enjoyable trip.
• Lovely is very common in British English. What a lovely day!

For reactions to events:

1. That's great news. (strong)
2. That's wonderful. (warm)
3. Good for you. (supportive, short)
4. I'm glad to hear that. (polite, a little formal)

In speaking, the intonation matters as much as the word. A flat Great can sound sarcastic, while a rising and falling Greeeat! sounds sincere. The page on English intonation shows the patterns.

Good food, places and weather

These are the most common everyday uses, and each has its own natural word.

Two useful points:

• Delicious is for food and drink only. You cannot say a delicious film.
• Fair and reasonable are not weak words for prices. A reasonable price is one most people would accept, and that is exactly what a customer wants to hear.

For spoken English, add a reaction phrase instead of an adjective: Mmm, this is lovely, That hits the spot, I could eat this every day. They sound more natural than The food is very good. For more ideas on reacting in a conversation, see small talk in English.

Formal, academic and professional replacements

In writing for school or work, "good" is usually too vague. Replace it with the precise quality.

• Instead of a good argument, write a convincing argument or a strong argument.
• Instead of good results, write positive results or encouraging results.
• Instead of a good method, write an effective method or a reliable method.
• Instead of good examples, write clear examples or relevant examples.
• Instead of a good reason, write a valid reason or a sound reason.

The pattern is the same each time: ask what makes the thing good, then name that. An effective method works. A reliable method works every time. A valid reason is one that holds up.

In an interview, avoid answering a question about your strengths with I'm good at teamwork. Say what you do: I coordinate people well and I keep everyone informed. It is longer, and it is believable.

Practice: replace "good" in six sentences

Rewrite each sentence with a more exact word. Possible answers are in brackets.

1. This is a good book. (gripping, well-written, thought-provoking)
2. He is a good boss. (supportive, fair, approachable)
3. We had a good time. (a wonderful time, an enjoyable evening)
4. That is a good price. (a fair price, a reasonable price)
5. She did a good job. (an excellent job, a thorough job)
6. It was a good meal. (a delicious meal, a satisfying meal)

Now say each new sentence aloud, twice. Saying the sentence is what moves a word from "I know it" to "I use it". If a word feels strange in your mouth, practise it in a short real situation, such as describing yesterday's dinner or a film you saw.