phenomenal
gb/fənˈɑmənəl/ us/fənˈɑmənəl/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
extremely impressive or excellent
Very, very good; amazing.
Usage pattern:
[something] is phenomenal; a phenomenal [thing/person]
Common mistake:
Learners may use it for something that is only slightly good; it usually suggests an unusually high level.
Synonyms
amazing (More common and slightly less emphatic.)
|
extraordinary (Often sounds a bit more formal.)
|
outstanding (Common in performance/work contexts.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Not special or unusual.)
|
mediocre (Not very good; only average.)
Collocations
phenomenal success
|phenomenal performance
|phenomenal job
|phenomenal achievement
|phenomenal talent
|phenomenal player
|phenomenal results
|phenomenal experience
|phenomenal singer
|phenomenal work
Themes
evaluation
|daily_life
|work
|sports
|entertainment
Examples
- She did a phenomenal job leading the project.
- The film’s visuals are phenomenal, especially on a big screen.
- He has a phenomenal ability to stay calm under pressure.
Learner examples
- The food was phenomenal.
- You did a phenomenal job.
adjective
C1
property
2
very great in size
Very big; very large.
Usage pattern:
a phenomenal [amount/number/rise/increase]
Common mistake:
Often used with uncountable nouns (phenomenal growth) or with amounts; it is stronger than 'large' or 'big'.
Synonyms
enormous (Focuses on size/amount more than impressiveness.)
|
tremendous (Can suggest both size and admiration, like 'phenomenal'.)
|
immense (Slightly more formal; emphasizes vastness.)
Antonyms
small (Little in amount or degree.)
|
slight (Small in degree or intensity.)
Collocations
phenomenal growth
|phenomenal increase
|phenomenal rise
|phenomenal demand
|phenomenal popularity
|phenomenal rate
|phenomenal pace
|phenomenal speed
|phenomenal pressure
|phenomenal amount
Themes
numbers
|business
|economy
|news
Examples
- The app saw phenomenal growth after the update.
- Housing costs have risen at a phenomenal rate in the last year.
- There was phenomenal pressure on the servers during the launch.
Learner examples
- The company had phenomenal growth.
- The demand was phenomenal.
adjective
formal
C2
property
3
relating to observable experience
Connected to what we can see or experience directly.
Usage pattern:
phenomenal [world/experience/observation]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the common meaning 'excellent'; in academic contexts it often means 'based on experience/observation'.
Synonyms
observable (Stresses what can be seen/recorded, not necessarily experience.)
|
experiential (Emphasizes lived experience.)
Antonyms
theoretical (Based on theory rather than observation or experience.)
|
abstract (Not tied to direct sensory experience.)
Collocations
phenomenal world
|phenomenal experience
|phenomenal consciousness
|phenomenal character
|phenomenal observation
|phenomenal appearance
|phenomenal data
Themes
science
|philosophy
|education
Examples
- The paper focuses on phenomenal experience rather than neural mechanisms.
- Kant contrasts the phenomenal world with things as they are in themselves.
- Their analysis separates phenomenal appearance from underlying structure.
Grammar
Dictionary form
phenomenal
IPA
GB/fənˈɑmənəl/
US/fənˈɑmənəl/
Syllables & stress
phe - nom - en - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (nom)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: phenomenal
Word family
Core family
phenomenon
noun B2
phenomenally
adverb B2
Advanced or less common
phenomenology
noun C2
phenomenological
adjective
Expressions
nothing short of phenomenal
1/nˈʌθɪŋ ʃˈɔɹt əv fənˈɑmənəl/
fixed phrase
truly amazing; exceptionally good
It is really amazing.
Examples
- Her recovery has been nothing short of phenomenal.
- The team’s turnaround this season is nothing short of phenomenal.
- The new camera’s low-light performance is nothing short of phenomenal.