superb

superb — adjective

1. Extremely good; of the very highest quality or standard — used when something is

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Extremely good; of the very highest quality or standard — used when something is clearly better than most things of its kind.

Example

Bilal said the view from the mountain top was superb, stretching miles in every direction.

The little Italian restaurant received a superb review from the city's food critic.

superb + noun (review)

Common collocations
  • superb quality
  • superb condition
  • superb service
  • superb performance
  • superb view
  • superb result
Synonyms
  • excellent

    more general and slightly less intense; works in more contexts

  • outstanding

    emphasises that something clearly stands out from others, especially in competitive settings

  • magnificent

    conveys grandeur and visual impressiveness, often for buildings, scenery, or large achievements

  • splendid

    slightly old-fashioned; suggests dignified beauty or admirable accomplishment

Antonyms
  • terrible

    the opposite extreme — of the lowest quality

  • awful

    very bad, the opposite of excellent

  • poor

    below average quality, much weaker than superb

Grammar Patterns

superb + noun

be + superb

Usage Note

Frequently used to describe experiences (views, meals, service) or outcomes (performance, results) at the highest level. Unlike 'good' or 'great', 'superb' is best reserved for situations that genuinely stand out at the top — using it for ordinary pleasant experiences can sound exaggerated.

Common Mistakes

I think this is a superb idea.
I think this is a great idea.
'superb' is less natural for abstract ideas; it is more typical with concrete experiences like meals, performances, views, or service.

Word family

  • superbly
    adverbB2
  • superbness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While 'superb' and 'excellent' both describe high quality, 'superb' suggests the absolute top tier — something stunningly good. 'Excellent' is more general and less intense; you can use it for anything from a good exam grade to a fine meal. 'Outstanding' emphasises that something stands out clearly from the rest, especially in competitive contexts ('an outstanding academic record'). 'Magnificent' conveys grandeur and visual impressiveness, fitting for buildings, scenery, or large-scale achievements ('a magnificent palace'). 'Splendid' is slightly old-fashioned and carries a tone of dignified beauty or notable achievement. You might call a truly memorable and flawless meal 'superb', but a reliably good everyday meal is simply 'excellent'.

excellentoutstandingmagnificentsplendid

Common collocations

Nouns

  • performance
  • view
  • quality
  • condition
  • service
  • result

Adverbs

  • absolutely
  • truly
  • simply
  • quite

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'superbus' meaning 'proud, splendid, excellent', formed from 'super' (above, over) and the suffix '-bus'. It entered English through Old French in the 15th century with the sense of 'magnificent, grand', and later developed the broader meaning of 'of the highest quality'.