Ah/ooh, ha/hah, hooray/hurray, huzzah/hoozah, halleluja/alleluia, yippee, yippie ki-yay, excellent, awesome, swell, sweet, amazing, wonderful, lovely, good, prime, primo, sick, crazy, dope, sik, schmick/smik, bewdy, beaut, booshit, bully, badass, great, cool, dynamite, groovy, rad/radballs/k-rad, neat/neat-o, fun, good for/on someone, gotcha/gotchya, thank God/goodness/heaven(s), glory, squee, whee, wonders never cease!/will wonders never cease!, whoopee/whoopie, woop woop, w00t, wow/wowee, woohoo, wahoo, yahoo, hot damn, hot dog, def, yes, yay, super, superb, super-duper, wizard, rah-rah, booyah, paean, banzai, bravo
- Ah/aah/ahh/ooh - used for showing that you are happy, satisfied, or surprised.
- Ha/hah - used for showing that you feel pleased, often because you have discovered (esp. used to express satisfaction that something bad has happened to someone who deserved it) or achieved something or to show that you have succeeded in something. Expresses laughter.
He left her? Ha! That'll teach her to go chasing other women's husbands! |
- Hooray/hoorah/hurray/hurrah (audio) - a word that you shout to show that you are excited and happy about something; expresses joy, approval, or encouragement. Used as an exclamation of pleasure, approval, elation, or victory.
- Huzzah/hazzah (originally huzza, and in most modern varieties of English hurrah or hooray) - used as an exclamation of joy, applause, appreciation, etc.
I say, Winston, let's go fetch some tea and crumpets. Huzzah! (When hurray just isn't enough) |
- Halleluja/alleluia (humorous) - used for expressing happiness that something you had been waiting for or hoping for has happened. A shout of joy, praise, or gratitude.
- Yippee - an expression of happiness, wild excitement, pleasure, anticipation, or great satisfaction. Used to express joy or elation, exuberant delight or triumph. This word is used mainly by children.
Yippee! It's Friday! |
- Yippie ki-yay - an expression of joy, excitement. A Brief History of Yippee-Ki-Yay (Catchphrase used by Bruce Willis in all of the Die Hard films.)
- Excellent (spoken) - used for showing that you are very pleased about something.
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Words like extraordinary (extremely good or impressive) and exceptional (unusually excellent) are similar in meaning to excellent. This is a strong word used mainly for things, people, and actions that are much better than average. A 'B+' on a test isn't bad, but an 'A' is excellent. In basketball, making an all-star team is excellent. Being excellent is difficult and people tend to admire it. People use excellent in another, less specific way sometimes. If you want to say "Cool" or "Good" you might say "Excellent!"
- Awesome (informal, slang) - Excellent! Remarkable! Outstanding! Very impressive! Wonderful! Cool! Neat! This word is used mainly by young people.
- Swell (informal, dated, North American) - used as an expression of satisfaction, enthusiasm. Fantastic, great, wonderful, excellent, fine, first-class, first-rate.
'How are you?' - 'Swell, just, swell!' |
From old English, "'Tis well." Very popular in chatty movies of the 1930s, began to be used sarcastically in the '40s. 'How do you feel after that drinking binge last night? - Swell'. Nowadays, totally passe. It also can describe a wealthy, elegant person, like a group of swells at a fancy restaurant.
I just won a million dollars? Sweeet! |
- Sweet (informal, slang) - used to express satisfaction, acceptance, pleasure, excellence, exaltation, approval, awe, or reverence. When used individually, the level of satisfaction expressed is most often directly proportionate to the duration of the vowel sound.
- Amazing (informal approving) - very good, impressive, excellent, especially in an unexpected way. Something that is so wonderful, it is hard to find the words to match. Something that makes your heart beat faster or your heart melt. Something that tops everything else, and always crosses your mind.
- Wonderful - inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration.
- Lovely (mainly British informal) - used for saying you are pleased about something.What a girl! Lovely!
From the Old English luflic “affectionate, loveable,” comes lovely, an adjective that describes a person’s or thing’s attractiveness. Find the word love in there — it's something so attractive you can't help but love it. Lovely can also refer to something delightful. For example, a pretty selection of cakes and pastries arranged on a doily could be described as lovely. Anything from your girlfriend to a fresh coat of red paint on your motorcycle can be lovely.
- Good - an exclamation of approval, agreement, pleasure, satisfaction, etc. Expresses satisfaction, pleasure, agreement, (in some exclamatory phrases, surprise, consternation, etc.: orig. a euphemism for God: good! good grief!) Used for saying that you are pleased with someone, or are pleased about something; (a way of saying “well” that many people think is not correct).
Adverbial good has been under attack from the schoolroom since the 19th century. Insistence on well rather than good has resulted in a split in connotation: well is standard, neutral, and colorless, while good is emotionally charged and emphatic. This makes good the adverb of choice in sports <“I'm seeing the ball real good” is what you hear — Roger Angell>. In such contexts as <listen up. And listen good — Alex Karras> <lets fly with his tomatoes before they can flee. He gets Clarence good — Charles Dickinson> good cannot be adequately replaced by well. Adverbial good is primarily a spoken form; in writing it occurs in reported and fictional speech and in generally familiar or informal contexts.
- Prime - of the first excellence, value, or importance.
This ale is prime! |
- Sick (slang, very informal, spoken) [not before noun] - used by young people to say that something is very impressive, attractive, enjoyable, excellent, awesome, cool, insane and they admire it a lot.
The hair, make up and outfit is sick! She looks amazing! |
How did 'sick' come to mean 'awesome' or 'really good / cool' in modern slang? This usage reminds me of the use of 'bad' to mean 'totally awesome' in the 80s.
The OED says this slang is now especially used for skateboarding and surfing, and the first quotation is from a 1983 UNC-CH Campus Slang by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Sick, unbelievably good. On the 1987 skateboarding video put out by Powell and Peralta entitled "The Search for Animal Chin" a skater did some cool trick or whatever, and a hardcore skateboarder onlooker used "that's sick". The word not so much means "cool", but carries a connotation more extreme than just that. It is used to describe something that is unbelievable, unprecedented, or just plain mind-blowing. Its originally a US slang and means something good or excellent, especially stylish or attractive. (quotes from English Language & Usage)
- Crazy (slang) - used to express approval, pleasure, wonder, etc.: now rare. e.g. That's crazy, dude.
- Dope (slang) - used to describe something as really good and extremely cool, as a generalized term of approval.
That car is dope!
I want to get a Porsche like that some day.
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- Sik (Austral, slang) - excellent, cool, rad, mental, mad. "Did you just see that skyline?? It was fully sik bro!"
- Schmick/smick (Austral, informal) - excellent, elegant, or stylish, very classy. Can also be an said to mean 'cool' 'allright' 'OK' or 'yeah' in response to a question. "Let's listen to some Redman." - "Schmick." The story behind the word.
- Bewdy/bewty/beaty (Austral, informal) - used to express enthusiasm, pleasure or approval. An exclamation expressing a positive opinion for an event or object. Accompanying exclamation to a "thumbs-up" symbol in Australia."I scored us a couple of tickets to the match on Saturday." — "Bewdy, mate!"
- Beauty, thanks.
- No worries.
- Beaut (Austral, informal) - something that you think is very good great, fantastic, terrific, excellent. Something or someone beautiful, extraordinary, remarkable, or amazing. (often used ironically)
What a beaut! - a great thing.
You beaut! (informal) - an exclamation of joy or pleasure.
You little beauty, that's beaut, you bewdy - excited approval, something has gone really well; is roughly an equivalent to "Great!", "Fantastic!" or "Wonderful!". Example: "You little beauty." 'I won the lottery.' - 'That's beaut mate.' (Australian Slang Phrases)
- Booshit (Austral, slang) - very good, excellent
- Bully (informal, slang, chiefly North American) - fine; excellent; very good (1840s+). The statue really looked bully.
In older times, the word 'bully' also had a couple of positive meanings, the only trace of which is left in the expression 'bully for you,' which is still occasionally used in British English. It's mostly used in a derisive or sarcastic way.
- Bully for you/him! (informal, often ironic) - used to express admiration or approval, especially when the approval or praise is not sincere. A way of saying "Good for you!", "Kudos", "Well done!", "Bravo!" (1780s+) (dated, but still heard).
He's getting away!
Bully for him!
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Be careful! It's often used as a sarcastic phrase belittling someone's statement or accomplishment. Bob: I managed to save three dollars last week. Bill: Well, bully for you!
Sometimes you say it when you do not think what someone has done deserves praise or admiration, although they think it does 'I cleaned the whole house yesterday.' 'Bully for you!'
It wasn't always used in a sarcastic tone, but considering how it's changed over time, people do use it in that way.
- Badass (US, youth slang, positive connotation) - something or someone considered impressive due to extreme attitudes, behavior or appearance. Awesome to an extreme level, thereby leveraging unquestionable authority. Excellent, wonderful, rad, slammin' (1980s+ College)
This is one badass camera. |
- Great (informal) - very well/good, excellent, splendid, fine, fantastic.
That's great, honey! |
You got a new bike? - Cool!
- Dynamite (slang, informal) - something exceptionally exciting and very impressive or pleasing.
Her new tatoos are dynamite! Love them! |
Originally, from the movie, "a Requiem for a Dream" starring Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, and Jennifer Connelly, it was reffered to buying and selling drugs, but CAN be used with other subjects. "Hey, I just sold my car, and got a new phone, let's go party!" - "Dynamite!!" (from Urban Dictionary)
- Groovy (slang, informal, dated or humorous) - very pleasing; fashionably attractive; wonderful, highly stimulating, excellent, tubular, awesome, cool. Expresses strong approval, usually of enjoyable experiences. 'Did you see that new episode of Doctor Who?' - 'Yeah, it was pretty groovy.''Did you read Twilight?' - 'Yeah, it was not groovy. Not groovy at all.'(British informal) - very chic.
The term originated in the 1920s among early jazz musicians as their music was recorded in grooves on a record. It became most popular in the 1950s, and fell from favor by the mid 1960s.
- Rad (informal, slang, chiefly North American) - fine, excellent; wonderful; impressive; extraordinary; chill; gnarly; very appealing
That party was totally rad! |
Your RADBALLS!!! |
- Radballs - something awesome, cool, super duper. Sometimes yelled to give your opinion on something you thought was cool.
- K-rad literally means 1000 times rad, just as a kbyte or kilobyte refers to around 1000 bytes.
K-rad was made popular in the 1980s by computer hacker circles. The word 'rad' referred to a radical act performed by a hacker which deserved congratulations. The term k-rad originated around the same time people started talking in numbers l1k3 th15. This type of language first started appearing on BBSes and FTP warez sites. I h4v3 +h3 m05+ 733+, k-r4d 5k1llz 0n th3 n3+!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I have the most leet, k-rad skillz on the net!)
- Neat - (slang, spoken, mainly US & Canadian) An expression that means something is wonderful, terrific, excellent, great or cool. Either 1. you just don't care what the other person is saying or 2. you really do think it's GREAT.. AWESOME
Today a popular use of the word neat is to mean "fine, splendid." It is a use that does not appear to have much in common with earlier meanings of the word such as "tidy". But in its newest sense of "splendid," something that is "neat" might be thought of as a brilliant or shining example of the best of its kind.
- Neat-o - very neat; "cool"; "spiffy". Often used more flippantly or in place of the word "great" etc.
- Fun (informal) - something that brings pleasure, joy or playfulness. Amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable.
This is what I call 'having fun'. |
Also: a lot of fun/lots of fun, a bit of fun, for fun/for the fun of it (for pleasure), have fun (enjoy yourself), what fun (how enjoyable).
- Good for/on someone - an expression of approval. Well done, well said, etc.: a term of congratulation. Used for saying that you are happy about something good that someone has done or that has happened to them; pleased about someone's success or good luck.
You say you're a fast runner? Good for you! |
- Gotcha (spoken) / gotchya (rarely) - (from I (have) got you) used for showing that you are pleased at catching or beating someone. Used to indicate understanding or to signal the fact of having caught or defeated another. used to say that you have beaten, caught, or tricked someone.
- Thank God / Thank goodness / Thank heaven(s) - exclamation of relief, thankfulness. Used for saying that you are happy that something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened; something you say when you are happy because something bad did not happen.
- Glory - a mild interjection to express pleasure, elation, wonder or surprise (often in the exclamatory phrase glory be!)
- Squee - used to show that you are excited or happy. A noise primarily made by an over-excited fangirl, however it has spread rapidly and is now widely spread among the web community.
Shirtless Logan Lerman revealed! |
Among fans, "squee" has become a word that sums up all our feelings of reckless abandon when we wholeheartedly fall in love with a story or character. New Firefly movie? Squee! Shirtless Benedict Cumberbatch photos revealed? Squee! The next Game of Thrones book is out? SQUEE!!! But squee was first used as comic book sound-effect word made by dying robots. (from io9)
- Whee (childish) - used to express happiness, pleasure, delight, exhilaration or excitement, especially by or to children.
- Wonders never cease!/Will wonders never cease! - used for saying that you are very surprised and happy about something. Said when something very surprising happens. Somewhat ironic; can imply that the surprising thing should have happened before, but did not.
Wonders never cease! |
- whoopee/whoopie (slang, informal) - an exclamation of joy, excitement; a loud, excited shout of happiness etc. Used to express jubilance , exultation, merry abandon. Shows that you are very happy and excited. Noisy and boisterous revelry.
- Woop woop - an expression designed to express approval, happiness, joy, and/or excitement usually accompanied by a knocking together of the fists with a buddy.
- Woot (informal, slang) - a shout of joy, victory, triumph, enthusiasm, used mostly by players in online games. Expressing happiness or approval.
- Wow (acronym for "way over wonderful") - used to express wonder, amazement, or great pleasure.
- Wowee - is another form of wow. You can use wowee wherever you can use wow. It also means "that's cool".
- Woohoo/woo–hoo/whoo–hoo (informal) - an exclamation of joy, extreme satisfaction, excitement, especially as arising from success or good fortune. Used when you are glad because something happens that you enjoy.
- Wahoo - an exclamation of joy, oftentimes replacing such words as yippee, yay, or hot damn. Used to express exuberance or enthusiasm or to attract attention.
Wahoo! I got accepted into Yale! |
- Yahoo - used to express excitement or joy. Said when excited or content/pleased.
Yahoo! We just won the first place! |
- Hot damn (informal, slang) - an exclamation generally used for something positive or in the affirmative, usually used in the deep south. Usually expresses pleasant surprise, excitement. Wow!; Hooray!
'Ha! We got free tickets'. - 'Hot dog!'
- Def (slang) - generally, a positive adjective used as a superlative: extremely cool, excellent, first-rate.
That's def graffiti! |
Hip hop (including graffiti) slang for 'great'. Taken from the root word 'definitive'. Def Jam records took their name from this term. The term originated in New York in the early 1980s. It made it into the Oxford English Dictionary in 1993, whereby Rick Rubin (president of Def American Records) and members of the rap community subsequently had a mock funeral for the word, with a eulogy performed by Al Sharpton.
- Yay (informal) - used as an exclamation of pleasure, approval, elation, or victory.
I won! Yay! |
Do not confuse! Yeah is, like, teenager talk. “Yeah” is pronounced yah-uh. This is not a celebration word. It’s slang. It means “yes” or “whatever.” Sometimes we even use it with "so" to make it even more casual (or obnoxious), “Yeah, so, I was bored.” Big freakin’ deal. Yea means an old-fashioned “yes.” It is the oldest of the collection and was the root of all versions of yes words today. “Yeah”, which means yes, definitely derived from “yea”, which also means a more formal yes. (Rebecca Garland)
- Super (informal) - Very good, nice, enjoyable or pleasant; excellent; first-rate; outstanding; exceptionally fine (hasn't been used seriously in decades).
'Would you like to join us for dinner?' 'That would be super!' |
- Superb - exceptionally good, excellent or brilliant in a very noticeable way; first-rate; of the highest quality. Anything that goes beyond being great can be called superb.
Superb food! |
The only real difference between super and superb (besides the letter "b") is that something superb is surprisingly or especially excellent.
- Super-duper (informal, humorous) - extremely pleasing, impressive, etc: often used as an exclamation. Great stuff!! Splendid!! Spiffing!!
I'm very satisfied with your work. I'd like you to stay after-hours! |
But it isn't common in English. People who say it are usually children, or adults who are being sarcastic. For example, if your boss tells you to work late, you might say "Super duper."
- Wizard (informal, slang, chiefly British) - superb; excellent; wonderful, worthy of the highest praise (originally RAF slang).
I've just had a wizard idea! |
- Rah-rah (informal, mainly US) - marked by boisterous and uncritical enthusiasm and excitement. Showing a lot of enthusiasm usually in a way that is annoying.
Rah-rah is often used in association with cheerleaders as they are getting the crowd excited and feeling good about their team while not really having any direct effect on the outcome of the game.
- Booyah (also written booya, boo-yay, boo-yah, boo-yaa, booyeah booh-yeah) - an exclamation of happiness, being excited, or feeling overwhelmed. Used in order to abruptly express great joy, usually brought on by victory or some other sort of accomplishment.
- It's a term of excitement and anticipation with military overtones. Mission accomplished. Booyah!
- Paean - a fervent expression of joy or praise, often in song.
Exclamation of success, often with accompanying standard body action. Used all over. Made popular by the Simpsons. "Booyah" is shouted at any sporting event where your team (or you) score or make a great play. It was originated by sportscasters. "A goal just before the end! Great playing! Booyah!"
You can also say booyah like in any situation which connects to something positive for you and when you feel overly energetic. Imagine a soccer player could say to his team before the game starts: "Let's do this guys, booyah!". (from italki.com)
There are other circumstances in which a solo competitor might shout "Booyah!" as in the case of a perfectly thrown three point shot during a basketball game or the third strike against an opposing batter. Even people who score personal successes outside of the sports world have been known to use this exclamation after landing a lucrative business deal or other seemingly impossible task. The word seems to be the ideal shorthand to let others know about a personal success or good news.
Fans of financial advisor Jim Cramer's television program should recognize the exclamation Booyah as one of his most popular catchphrases. (from wisegeek.org)
The film received a paean from the critics. |
Paean was originally a song of praise for Apollo, or Paian as he was sometimes called. You can now use paean to mean any song of praise, regardless of the deity, or to mean a formal expression of praise, like a eulogy. At your mother's birthday dinner, it might be nice for you and your brothers and sisters to write and sing a paean to her good-natured love and support of you over many years.
They cried banzai at the news that their party won the election. |
The shout banzai is a generic cheer of enthusiasm, victory, or support. It's a Chinese-derived term meaning "ten thousand years", used in Chinese and Korean as well. You can hear shouts of banzai coming from a Japanese sports team, an electoral victory party, or just a bunch of Shinjuku drunks. It's an all-purpose cheer, with or without any military overtones. Yay! Hurrah! Huzzah! Long Live the Queen (or whoever)! Hip Hip Hooray! GOOAAALLL! (from homejapan.com)
"Banzai" can be translates as "Long life!" or "Hurrah!" It is usually repeated three times to express enthusiasm, celebrate a victory, applause and favor on happy occasion while raising both arms. It is commonly done together with the large group of people. (from about.com)
- Bravo - used to express your pleasure when someone, especially a performer, has done something well.
- Thumbs up/thumbs-up (informal) - an act, instance, or gesture of assent, approval, or the like. A reaction that shows you like something such as a plan or idea, or that you will accept it. Said when someone did something good. 'Thumbs up! You did a good job!'
- Two thumbs up - to show that you think something is excellent.
Two Thumbs Up was born out of a need to express and extreme delight in a situation / person / movie / music / etc. If something is good it gets a thumbs up. if something is indescribably brilliant - it gets a 'Two Thumbs Up'. But it's simply not good enough to just say the phrase - you must also physically represent the Two Thumbs Up in a strong motion with both hands.
American film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel co-hosted a movie review program, At the Movies. The two had different tastes, and often verbally sparred and traded humorous barbs. When both critics gave the film a thumbs up, it was assumed that the film was very good.
Other common words that can be used to express happiness and pleasure:
best, best ever, greatest, fine, fantastic, terrific, amazing, brilliant, impressive, wonderful, beautiful, magnificent, marvelous, incredible, remarkable, fascinating
Still working...
far out first-class/rate/string, five/four-star, frontline, fabulous/fab/fantabulous, ace/aces doozie out-of-sight out-of-this-world peachy/peach keen spectacular striking top/tops/topping/tiptop/tip-top, top-flight, top-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, top-notch, turn-on wicked champion whiz-bang, breathtaking, wondrous, mind-boggling, jaw-dropping, blindsiding, dumbfounding, jarring, jolting, stupefying, stunning, overwhelming, miraculous stupendous eye-popping, eye-opening, gee-whizz, of good/high/top quality, deluxe, upright, mean, outstanding, smashing, glorious, crack/cracking, sensational brill bonny, boss brag, brave, bumper, capital, choice, classic/classy, corking, crackerjack, dandy, divine, down, gangbusters, gilt-edged (or gilt-edge), gone, grand, heavenly, world-class, high-class, hype immense, jim-dandy, keen, nifty, out-of-sight, phat prize, prizewinning, righteous, sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, unsurpassed, admirable, bodacious, chillin' (choice), gorgeous, splendiferous (facetious), mega, of the first water, barrie, belting, pearler, bang-up, slap-up, exquisite, bitchin', ripping, tremendous, tubular, killer, tight, off the hizzy, radical, da bomb, pumped
(from MacmillanDictionary; Oxford Dictionaries; Vocabulary; Collins English Dictionary; Wictionary; Thesaurus; Thefreedictionary; Vocabulary; YourDictionary; Dictionary; Word Central; Memidex; Urban Dictionary; The Online Slang Dictionary; WordSense; Reverso; Prasemix; OxfordWords blog; Englishbaby; Slanguide)
Excellent list & graphics.
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