Grateful vs. Great — What's the Difference?

Feeling or showing an appreciation for something done or received

Very large in size, extent, or intensity

Appreciative of benefits received; thankful

Of a larger size than other, similar forms

Expressing gratitude

Large in quantity or number

Affording pleasure or comfort; agreeable

Extensive in time or distance

Appreciative; thankful.

Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent

(obsolete) Pleasing, welcome.

Of outstanding significance or importance

Having a due sense of benefits received; kindly disposed toward one from whom a favor has been received; willing to acknowledge and repay, or give thanks for, benefits; as, a grateful heart.

Chief or principal

Affording pleasure; pleasing to the senses; gratifying; delicious; as, a grateful present; food grateful to the palate; grateful sleep.

Superior in quality or character; noble

Feeling or showing gratitude;

Powerful; influential

Affording comfort or pleasure;

Eminent; distinguished

Very good; first-rate

Very skillful

Enthusiastic

Being one generation removed from the relative specified. Often used in combination

(Archaic) Pregnant.

Pl. greats or great One that is great

A division of most pipe organs, usually containing the most powerful ranks of pipes.

A similar division of other organs.

Very well

Used as an intensive with certain adjectives

(augmentative) Large, senior high-ranking, intense, extreme, or exceptional

Relatively large in scale, size, extent, number (i.e. having many parts or members) or duration (i.e. relatively long); very big.

Title referring to an important leader.

Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.

(informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.

Intensifying a word or expression, used in mild oaths.

(qualifying nouns of family relationship) Involving more generations than the qualified word implies — as many extra generations as repetitions of the word great (from 1510s). [see Derived terms]

Pregnant; large with young; full of.

Intimate; familiar.

Extreme or more than usual.

Of significant importance or consequence; important.

(applied to actions, thoughts and feelings) Arising from or possessing idealism; admirable; superior; commanding; heroic; illustrious; eminent.

Impressive or striking.

Much in use; favoured.

(applied to persons) Endowed with extraordinary powers; of exceptional talents or achievements; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; remarkable; strong; powerful; mighty; noble.

Doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale; active or enthusiastic.

(often followed by 'at') Skilful or adroit.

Expression of gladness and content about something.

Sarcastic inversion thereof.

A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.

(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.

(in combinations such as "two-greats", "three-greats" etc.) An instance of the word "great" signifying an additional generation in phrases expressing family relationships.

(informal) Very well in a very satisfactory manner.

Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; - opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length.

Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.

Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval.

Superior; admirable; commanding; - applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.

Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.

Holding a chief position; elevated: lofty: eminent; distinguished; foremost; principal; as, great men; the great seal; the great marshal, etc.

Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle.

Pregnant; big (with young).

More than ordinary in degree; very considerable in degree; as, to use great caution; to be in great pain.

Older, younger, or more remote, by single generation; - often used before grand to indicate one degree more remote in the direct line of descent; as, great-grandfather (a grandfather's or a grandmother's father), great-grandson, etc.

The whole; the gross; as, a contract to build a ship by the great.

Relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind;

More than usual;

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation;

Of major significance or importance;

Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect;

Very good;

Uppercase;

Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;

In an advanced stage of pregnancy;