Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Inspiring awe.
- adjective Expressing awe.
- adjective Slang Remarkable; outstanding.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Inspiring awe; awful: as, an awesome sight.
- Evidencing or expressive of terror.
- Also spelled
awsome .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Causing awe; appalling; awful.
- adjective Expressive of awe or terror.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Causing
awe or terror; inspiringwonder orexcitement . - adjective colloquial
Excellent , exciting,remarkable .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The word "awesome," has become so trivialized these days.
Joseph Bobrow: Veterans Come Alive in the Great Outdoors Joseph Bobrow 2012
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I also think it nails the true unconscious communication of the word "awesome": dread.
Dr. Cheryl Pappas: Ixnay Communique: If Everything's So Awesome, Where Is The Love? Dr. Cheryl Pappas 2011
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For starters, please stop using the word "awesome".
John Blumenthal: Are You Trying Too Hard to Make Your Kids Think You're Cool? John Blumenthal 2011
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The word "awesome," has become so trivialized these days.
Joseph Bobrow: Veterans Come Alive in the Great Outdoors Joseph Bobrow 2012
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In the 1988 British Collins Pocket Reference English Dictionary, the word "awesome" has a single definition: "dread mingled with reverence".
Dr. Cheryl Pappas: Ixnay Communique: If Everything's So Awesome, Where Is The Love? Dr. Cheryl Pappas 2011
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I also think it nails the true unconscious communication of the word "awesome": dread.
Dr. Cheryl Pappas: Ixnay Communique: If Everything's So Awesome, Where Is The Love? Dr. Cheryl Pappas 2011
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The word "awesome," has become so trivialized these days.
Joseph Bobrow: Veterans Come Alive in the Great Outdoors Joseph Bobrow 2012
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But personally, I would reserve the word "awesome" for something we haven't seen before and video chatting is hardly new.
Larry Magid: Google+ & Facebook: Different Approaches to Video Chat Larry Magid 2011
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In the 1988 British Collins Pocket Reference English Dictionary, the word "awesome" has a single definition: "dread mingled with reverence".
Dr. Cheryl Pappas: Ixnay Communique: If Everything's So Awesome, Where Is The Love? Dr. Cheryl Pappas 2011
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I could have watched Dean fail to impress Ness with his "Untouchables" references and overuse of the word "awesome" for hours.
The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Laura Prudom 2012
pedalinfaith commented on the word awesome
OK, I know its use as a colloquial synonym of 'excellent' has been around since the early 80's, but I still need a word that only means 'inducing terror or unbounded awe' because when I get that feeling (which happens more often than you'd think), using an adjective that implies anything less would just sacrilegiously cheapen the experience.
So, my two euros (since pennies aren't worth much these days): If your breath hasn't been taken away or your perception of reality hasn't been turned on its head or you aren't quaking with terror, then perhaps what you've encountered is something merely hawesome. :)
December 8, 2006
valse commented on the word awesome
I see your predicament, pedalinfaith. awe-inspiring just doesn't have quite the same ring--gets the job done, but it even sounds a little cliché. Hmm, a better substitute isn't coming to me. I say spite the masses and continue using it as you always have :)
January 6, 2007
tankexmortis commented on the word awesome
I use it both ways myself.
January 12, 2007
samsmiles44 commented on the word awesome
Used by 'dummies' who don't know the true meaning of the word! I assume some 'cleb' used it on TV and then all the 'sheep' took it up?
October 9, 2009
EditorMark commented on the word awesome
@LiteralMinded's @VisualThesaurus column on "awesome/awful/awe"--and rollercoasters! (paywall) http://bit.ly/bEoLxs
June 10, 2010
plutoman commented on the word awesome
David Tua, a famous boxer here in NZ, once asked for an "O for awesome" on Wheel of Fortune. And that was the main part of the game where you can only choose consonants.
April 10, 2011
yarb commented on the word awesome
Tua can play at that game!
April 11, 2011
bilby commented on the word awesome
Well I can see why a Nw Zlndr would be desperately craving any kind of vowel.
April 11, 2011
mollusque commented on the word awesome
Maybe he could use a vowelhound?
April 12, 2011
chrisb65 commented on the word awesome
Overused word.
August 22, 2011
fbharjo commented on the word awesome
Have you ever wondered why 'full of awe' is the opposite of aw(e)ful? Awesome is an odd awe-sum! Aw(e)-shucks! It appears we have a limited capacity for awe. How awful!! We are so awe-struck, overawed and abawed!
August 23, 2011