# Words for Different Levels of “Good”: From Decent to Flawless

> Source: https://mem-app.com/blogs/words-for-different-levels-of-good (Mem-App blog, 2026-10-15)

If you're learning English, “good” is probably one of the first words you learned, and one of the ones you use the most. That's natural, but it also means everything ends up sounding the same: a good hotel, a good plan, a good pianist, a good result.

Native speakers choose different words depending on *how* good something is. A hotel might be **decent**. A plan might be **solid**. A pianist might be **flawless**. Each word tells your listener something different.

Here are seven words, ordered from mild to top-level, so you can pick the one that fits.

## The ladder at a glance

| Level | Word | Roughly means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | **decent** | good enough, nothing special |
| 2 | **solid** | reliably good, no big weaknesses |
| 3 | **commendable** | deserves praise and respect |
| 4 | **excellent** | very high quality |
| 5 | **outstanding** | much better than others |
| 6 | **phenomenal** | extraordinarily good |
| 7 | **flawless** | perfect, no mistakes |

---

## 1. decent

**UK** /ˈdiːsnt/ · **US** /ˈdisnt/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Good enough, but not special.

**Examples**
- The hotel was decent for the price.
- He earns a decent salary, nothing more.

**Synonyms:** acceptable, adequate, reasonable
**Opposites:** poor, unacceptable

**Tip:** *Decent* can sound like faint praise. If you say a film was “decent”, people usually understand that you didn't love it.

---

## 2. solid

**UK** /ˈsɒlɪd/ · **US** /ˈsɑlɪd/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Reliably good, with no major weaknesses.

**Examples**
- She gave a solid performance in the final.
- It's a solid plan, and it should work.

**Synonyms:** reliable, sound, dependable
**Opposites:** weak, unreliable

**Tip:** Common in everyday and work conversations. It suggests “you can rely on this”, rather than “this is exciting”.

---

## 3. commendable

**UK** /kəˈmɛndəbl/ · **US** /kəˈmɛndəbl/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Deserving praise and respect.

**Examples**
- Her commitment to the project was commendable.
- It was a commendable effort for a first attempt.

**Synonyms:** admirable, praiseworthy, laudable
**Opposites:** shameful, unworthy

**Tip:** A formal word. You'll often meet it in feedback, reviews and reports, and it's often about effort or behaviour rather than just results.

---

## 4. excellent

**UK** /ˈɛksələnt/ · **US** /ˈɛksələnt/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Of very high quality.

**Examples**
- The food was excellent.
- He speaks excellent Spanish.

**Synonyms:** superb, first-class, splendid
**Opposites:** terrible, inferior

**Tip:** A safe choice in almost any situation, formal or informal.

---

## 5. outstanding

**UK** /aʊtˈstandɪŋ/ · **US** /aʊtˈstændɪŋ/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Much better than others of the same kind.

**Examples**
- She received an award for outstanding service.
- His results were outstanding.

**Synonyms:** exceptional, remarkable, superior
**Opposites:** mediocre, ordinary

**Tip:** The idea is that something *stands out* from the rest. It's common in awards, reports and performance reviews.

---

## 6. phenomenal

**UK** /fɪˈnɒmɪnl/ · **US** /fəˈnɑmənl/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Extraordinarily good, far beyond normal.

**Examples**
- The team had phenomenal success this season.
- Her talent is phenomenal.

**Synonyms:** extraordinary, incredible, remarkable
**Opposites:** ordinary, unremarkable

**Tip:** Enthusiastic and strong. Use it when you're genuinely impressed.

---

## 7. flawless

**UK** /ˈflɔːləs/ · **US** /ˈflɔləs/ · *adjective*

**Meaning:** Perfect, with no mistakes or faults.

**Examples**
- The pianist gave a flawless performance.
- Her English is almost flawless.

**Synonyms:** perfect, impeccable, faultless
**Opposites:** flawed, faulty

**Tip:** This is a strong claim, because it says there is *nothing* wrong. That's why people often say “almost flawless”.

---

## Same sentence, seven levels

Try swapping the word and notice how the meaning changes:

> The presentation was **decent**. *(It was fine, nothing more.)*
> The presentation was **solid**. *(It was reliable and well done.)*
> The presentation was **commendable**. *(It deserves credit for the effort.)*
> The presentation was **excellent**. *(It was very high quality.)*
> The presentation was **outstanding**. *(It was better than the rest.)*
> The presentation was **phenomenal**. *(It was far beyond normal.)*
> The presentation was **flawless**. *(It had no mistakes at all.)*

## How to remember them

Reading a list once won't make these words stick. What helps is meeting them again at the right time: after a day, then a few days, then a couple of weeks. This is called spaced repetition, and it's what Mem-App is built around.

1. Look up each word in Mem-App to see its definition, examples, synonyms, opposites and UK/US pronunciation in one place.
2. Add the ones you want to learn to your list.
3. Review them. After each word, rate it Easy, Good, Hard or Forgot, and the next review is scheduled for you.

## Try it yourself

Starter is free to start: up to 50 words, and no ads.

👉 [Try Mem-App free](https://mem-app.com/app/)

Which theme should I cover next? Tell me in the comments or message me.

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Add these 7 words to your Mem-App flashcards: https://mem-app.com/app?utm_source=site&utm_medium=markdown&utm_campaign=pack-levels-of-good#/definitions?words=decent,solid,commendable,excellent,outstanding,phenomenal,flawless