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Is the word awesome overused?
Many object to the use of awesome to describe something (such as a sandwich) that does not literally elicit feelings of awe. Yet the same people who insist that awesome should be used only of weighty subjects (Niagara Falls, man landing on the moon) will happily use the word awful in reference to something (such as a mess) that falls distinctly short of being “full of awe.” This weakened sense was once considered improper—in fact, complaints about it persisted through the early decades of the 20th century.
The change in meaning that awesome is undergoing may be more recent than that of awful, but both words are treading the same path. For evidence that such change is normal, we need look no further than awe, which originally meant “terror” and now carries the weaker sense “wonder.”
Synonyms of awesome
Examples of awesome in a Sentence
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 May 2026
And also the Suicide cover is awesome too.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
So every step of the way has been awesome.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Confusing, but also kind of awesome.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for awesome
Cite this Entry
“Awesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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awesome
adjective
